Possible causal relationships between parental investment and economic growth and productivity were investigated cross-nationally. Composite variables were constructed to measure parental investment (PI), human capital (HC), national health, government effectiveness, and economic development for 148 countries. Some composites were highly intercorrelated, particularly PI, HC, and health, and all predicted absolute (dollar value) annual growth (1990-1998) as well as GNP (1996). Regression analysis showed that PI strongly predicts wealth, but not growth, when government stability and level of economic development are controlled. Results suggest that PI (and health, HC) is more a product than a cause of national wealth.
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