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There has been a considerable revival of interest in models of the type discussed by Ramsey as early as 1928. In the new discussion about the Ramsey approach to the problem of optimal growth the question has been raised whether there always exists an optimal accumulation program in such a model. It turned out that this question is quite difficult to answer. What Ramsey did, was to maximize an integral over the whole nonnegative part of the time axis. Chakravarty has pointed out in [2] that this integral need not converge even if the policy proposed by Ramsey (as being optimal) is adopted. The question is whether this divergence of the integral indicates that there exists no optimal policy. The divergence certainly compels us to find other methods than just maximizing an integral subject to certain constraints. But, as will be seen in this paper and as is implied in an unpublished paper by Koopmans, the divergence of the utility integral does not necessarily mean that no optimal program of accumulation exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generational analysis has developed rapidly in recent years. Three progressive stages of theory and research can be traced: (a) a ‘classic’ period during which competing perspectives were developed regarding the impact of youth groups on social structure (Mannheim, Parsons and Eisenstadt, Davis and others); (b)a phase focused on interpretations of the youth protest movement or on processes in old age, and characterized by the development of new conceptual and methodological tools to examine change over time; (c) a period of consolidation and reformulation, with more precise specification of competing theoretical frameworks and the analysis of a growing body of empirical data. From this effort five issues emerge which summarize the perspective of generational analysis: (a) definition and dimensions of ‘genera- tion’ as a construct; (b) assessment of continuity or discontinuity between age groups; (c) exploration of the persistence of generation units over time; (d) analysis of within-generation solidarity; (e) articulation between generations and other dimensions of social structure. A feedback model appears useful in assessing the relationship between generations and social stability or change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]