Education and Economic Development:

A Social and Statistical Analysis

Daniela-Mihaela Neam■u
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Daniela-Mihaela Neamţu

Education and
Economic
Development
A Social and Statistical
Analysis
 Education and Economic Development

“This book is very courageous as it maps out a new world, connecting the level of
education with economic growth in Romania, giving an entire new perspective.
Decoupling growth from consumption and providing an alternative, foster knowl-
edge via a new framework of understanding, giving insights to new society models.
The libertarian touch on the educational perspective, balanced off by institution-
alised governmental approach gives a full view about the links between economics
and education and invites for further research.”
—Researcher Razvan Hoinaru “Queen Mary” University of London, UK

“In today’s taxing environment of burnt-out teachers, publish-or-perish culture in

academia, and widespread cultural transformations, where can educators find the
energy to inspire new generations? This book aims to not merely help readers sur-
vive the most stressful moments, but builds a panoramic vista of thought and
learning. In a situation where more and more students and workers leave Romania
to find work abroad, the author’s integral approach to education is refreshingly
optimistic.”
—PhD Sid Lukkassen “Radboud” University Nijmegen, Netherlands
 Daniela-Mihaela Neamţu

Education and
Economic
Development
A Social and Statistical Analysis
Daniela-Mihaela Neamţu
Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava
Suceava, Romania

ISBN 978-3-031-20381-7    ISBN 978-3-031-20382-4 (eBook)

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20382-4

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2023
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval,
electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now
known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information
in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the
publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to
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The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
To my beloved husband, Ovidiu. To our kids, Albert and Yanis.
Thank you for keeping alive the light at the end of the trail.
 Foreword

Education and Economic Development: A Social and Statistical Analysis is

an important work in the specialized literature as it discusses in a compre-
hensive manner the economy of education from a theoretical, method-
ological, and, especially, from a practical and applicative perspective. A way
of seeing education is in multiple layers connecting national, European,
and international levels. The author argues, in an original way, that educa-
tion is the foundation of a business environment which will finally lead to
economic growth and development.
The book itself is the result of a common-sense approach provided with
requirements imposed by the scientific methodology in such a way that it
succeeds in providing the readers an accurate database on the education-­
economic development relationship. The starting point was the assump-
tion that education represents a key vector of economic development for
any country. This particular aspect is supported by the references to the
main approaches on education as a public good, as well as by economics
seen as investment (in education). The common denominator between
this economic and educational relationship is the human capital. The work
is structured into 14 chapters, based on official documents and author’s
personal via statistical modelling.
The role of education, and especially higher education, in economy and
in the society alike is a controversial issue. The specialized literature
abounds with interesting analyses and interpretations. Throughout the
book, the author has tried and succeeded in identifying the main theories
and models which best suit such an analysis, the specific conceptual

vii
viii FOREWORD

educational framework, as well as the indicators which best describe the

education–economic development relationship, the government’s involve-
ment, or the existence of a free market in this particular field. The way the
performance or the efficiency of education can be measured both region-
ally and nationally provide for new methodologies for rankings.
By presenting the content briefly, I do believe that, as a whole, the work
presents topic of great interest for the theorists in the academic process
and is addressed to the researchers who have the chance of carrying on
with their professional development based on a set of the latest important
approaches and studies, especially those practitioners either from the edu-
cational field or from the economics discipline given the present societal
realities. At the same time, the book is addressed also to the decision-­
makers in order to accomplish the necessary adjustments of the public
policies in the field, in the process of analysing the recommendations for
the adoption of the new public policies, for their suggestion and usage.
Last but not least, the book is meant for all those who are interested in this
particular topic and are intellectually curious.
The work entitled Education and Economic Development: A Social and
Statistical Analysis represents a valuable, well-documented material. This
fact makes it not only complex but also original and attractive to reading it.

“Ștefan celMare” University of Suceava Gabriela Prelipcean

Suceava, Romania
August, 2022
 Acknowledgments

The work Education and Economic Development: A Social and Statistical

Analysis, a scientific approach initiated within the Doctoral School of
“Ștefan cel Mare” University, Suceava, Romania, under the direct coordi-
nation of Prof. Univ. Dr. Cristian-Valentin Hapenciuc is a study that has
acquired a special significance due to the contribution that, voluntarily or
not, has been made, in particular, by those to whom I would like to thank
in a few words.
I deeply thank Prof. Univ. Dr. Cristian-Valentin Hapenciuc. Under his
auspices and scientific inclination, the doctoral course took the form of a
whole, materializing in the present work. In the last ten years, he was a real
guide in my scientific and personal life, strongly marking the beginnings of
my didactic path, sometimes sinuous, at the Suceava University.
I also want to thank the other distinguished professors from “Ștefan cel
Mare” University of Suceava, Prof. Gabriela Prelipcean and Prof. Ionel
Bostan. Many thanks to Prof. Constantin Brătianu, from the Bucharest
University of Economic Studies (ASE), and to Prof. Teodora Roman from
“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași. They gave me a strong example
of professionalism, efficiency, and fairness as a unitary system, matching all
those values together.
I sincerely thank my family and friends, for their truly unconditional
support and love; for the peace and security they ensured forme through-
out the scientific demarche; and for the stability I always found at home.
I bring thanks to all!

ix
 Contents

1 Introduction – The Temporal Dynamics of Education  1

Part I The Emergence of Education and Its Economic

Dimension   7

2 Education: Conceptual and Methodological Approaches  9

3 Theories
 and Models on the Relationship Between
Education and Economic Development 49

4 Economic Scale of Education 71

5 Higher
 Education for the Social and Economic
Development101

Part II Practice Beats Theory 111

6 Case Studies of Best Practices in Higher Education113

xi
xii Contents

7 Empirical
 Analysis of the Relationship Between
Higher Education and Economic Development125

Part III Understanding the Numbers and Narratives.

Good and Bad News 145

8 Trends
 and Evolutions of Higher Education Related
to the European Integration and Membership147

9 Systems
 of Benchmarking Indicator Characterizing
Modern Economy169

10 The Relationships GCI-ELLI-HCI207

11 The 2020 Strategy215

12 Quantification
 of the Impact Level of Education
on the Economic Development of Nations247

Part IV Detached From Contemporary Reality 297

13 Empirical
 Research on the Gap between Level
of Education and Employability Based
on Work Satisfaction299

14 Conclusions
 Regarding the Social and Economic
Dimension of Education367

Annexes373

References529
 List of Figures

Fig. 2.1 Key factors of economic growth. (Source: Adapted after

(Mihuț, 2013), Economic Growth and the Convergence
Criteria for the Emerging Economies from the Central and
Eastern Europe. Doctoral thesis, Cluj-Napoca, p. 19) 18
Fig. 2.2 Synergistic model of educational marketing (SMEM).
(Source: Adapted after Bulat, 2012) 39
Fig. 2.3 Functions of education in terms of the reported sociological
studies. (Source: Author’s interpretation after Palicica and
Albert (2002). Sociology and Education (p. 94). EUROBIT
Publishing-house)42
Fig. 3.1 The impact of education on the national economic
development. (Source: Adapted after Bucosṃ, 2014) 52
Fig. 3.2 Education-human capital-economic growth
in the endogenous models. (Source: Adapted after
Holland et al., 2013) 65
Fig. 4.1 Cost–benefit analysis in terms of deciding to invest in
education. Source: Avram, E. (2012). University
Marketing—An Approach from the Point of View of the
Higher Education Consumer, doctoral thesis, The Academy
of Economic Sciences, Bucharest, pp. 19–20 cited in Suciu,
M. C. (2000, pp. 66–69) 75
Fig. 4.2 The profit of the investments based on levels of education.
Source: adapted after Psacharopoulos and Patrinos (2004).
Returns to Investment in Education: A Further Update
Education Economics, Vol. 12, No. 2, p. 15. http://elibrary.
worldbank.org/doi/pdf/10.1596/1813-­9450-­2881 79

xiii
xiv List of Figures

Fig. 4.3 The impact aspects of higher education on economic growth.

Source: adapted after Ozsoy Ceyda (2008) The Contribution
of Higher Education to Economic Development, Publishing
Global Conference on Business & Economics, Italy cited in
Bloom et al. (2006, pp. 15–16) 83
Fig. 4.4 Education’s externalities as a public asset. Source: adapted
after Huru (2007). Investments, Capital-Development,
Economics Publishing-house, Bucharest, pp. 116–118 85
Fig. 4.5 Benefits of investing in education. Source: adapted after
Avram (2012), University Marketing—An Approach from the
Point of View of the Higher Educated Consumer, doctoral
thesis, Academy of Economics Studies, Bucharest 87
Fig. 4.6 Individuals’ relative incomes based on the level of education
and age groups. Source: OECD (2014). Education at a
Glance 2014: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing,
pp. 134–136. https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-­2014-­en 90
Fig. 4.7 Employees’ relative incomes based on the level of education
and gender. Source: OECD (2014). Education at a Glance
2014: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, pp. 134–136.
https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-­2014-­en 91
Fig. 4.8 Rates of earnings based on the school years. Source:
Hanushek and Wossmann (2007). The Role of Education
Quality in Economic Growth, World Bank Policy Research
Working Paper 4122, p. 15 93
Fig. 4.9 Education, income, productivity. Source: adapted after Nelson
and Phelps (1966) Investment in Humans, Technological
Diffusion and Economic Growth, The American Economic
Review, Vol. 56, No. 1/2, pp. 69–75 96
Fig. 4.10 Adjustment after the output model of the educational system
in the USA. Source: adapted after 21st Century Skills,
Education & Competitiveness, A Resource and Policy Guide,
(2008), www.21stcenturyskills.org. p. 13, accessed on
10.08.201597
Fig. 4.11 Skills resulting from the educational system and productivity.
Source: author’s contribution 98
Fig. 5.1 The classification and the importance of the main levels of
higher education according to ISCED 2011. Source: author
contributions based on UNESCO data, Institute for Statistics
(2011) International Standard Classification of Education,
ISCED103
 List of Figures  xv

Fig. 6.1 The structure of the population based on the level of

education in 2013 as a percentage of the total number of the
population aged between 15 and 74 years old (% out of the
total). (Source: Author’s contribution) 124
Fig. 7.1 Rate of the involvement of the population in tertiary
education between 1971 and 2012 (%). (Source: author’s
contribution)128
Fig. 7.2 The evolution of the GDP per capita between 1971 and
2013. (Source: author’s contribution) 129
Fig. 7.3 The relationship between the ratio of involvement
in tertiary education and GDP per capita in Great Britain
between 1971 and 2012. (Source: author’s contribution
based on the analysis in the SPSS 22 program) 132
Fig. 7.4 The relationship between the ratio of involvement in tertiary
education and GDP per capita in South Korea between 1971
and 2012. (Source: author’s contribution based on the
analysis in the SPSS 22 program) 135
Fig. 7.5 The relationship between the ratio of involvement in tertiary
education and GDP per capita in Poland between 1971 and
2012. (Source: author’s contribution based on the analysis in
the SPSS 22 program) 138
Fig. 7.6 The relationship between the ratio of involvement in tertiary
education and GDP per capita in Romania. (Source: author’s
contribution based on analyses in SPSS 22) 140
Fig. 7.7 The relationship between the ratio of involvement in tertiary
education and GDP per capita in Sweden. (Source: author’s
contribution based on analyses in SPSS 22 program) 142
Fig. 8.1 Comparison of the GDP per capita in the EU countries in
2014 and 2020. (Source: Author’s data-based development
http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=2
&country=&series=NY.GDP.PCAP.CD&period= accessed on
31.05.2022)156
Fig. 8.2 Percentages of GDP in terms of expenditures based on
research and development services in EU countries in 2014
and 2020. (Source: Author contributions based on Eurostat
data, 2020. *Most of the data available for 2020
are provisional) 160
Fig. 8.3 Higher education graduates in the EU grouped on subjects
during 2019. (Source: Author’s contribution based on
Eurostat data, 06.06.2022) 167
Fig. 9.1 Global Competitiveness Index (Source: World
Economic Forum, WEF, 2014) 172
xvi List of Figures

Fig. 9.2 Global Competitiveness Index 2019. (Source: Author’s

contributions based on data from https://countryeconomy.
com/government/global-­competitiveness-­index) 174
Fig. 9.3 Global Competitiveness Index based on influencing factors in
2019. (Source: Author’s contribution based on the World
Economic Forum data (http://www.weforum.org/)) 175
Fig. 9.4 Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 based on influencing
factors in Romania between 2017 and 2019. (Source:
Author’s contribution based on the World Economic Forum
data: http://www.weforum.org/) 176
Fig. 9.5 Global Knowledge Index, 2020 and 2021. (Source: Author’s
contribution based on the Global Knowledge Index, 2020
and 2021) 180
Fig. 9.6 Ranking changes related to the EU countries and South
Korea between 2000 and 2012. (Source: Author’s
contribution based on www.worldbank.org data) 181
Fig. 9.7 Human Capital Index for the countries of the EU and for
South Korea in 2020. (Source: Author’s contribution based
on the Human Capital Report data, 2020: http://www.
weforum.org/. The Human Capital Index has not been
calculated recently/the methodology or its structure
has been changed. For the last few years, there are no
data available) 184
Fig. 9.8 Human Capital Index based on the components during 2012.
(Source: Author’s contribution based on the Human Capital
Report: http://www.weforum.org/) 185
Fig. 9.9 The structure of the Human Capital Index related to the
topic of education. (Source: World Economic Forum (2015),
The Human Capital Report. Employment, Skills and Human
Capital Global Challenge Insight Report, p. 4) 188
Fig. 9.10 The structure of the Human Capital Index related to the
topic of employment. (Source: World Economic Forum
(2015), The Human Capital Report. Employment, Skills and
Human Capital Global Challenge Insight Report, p. 4) 188
Fig. 9.11 The Human Capital Index in the EU countries. (Source:
Author’s contribution based on the data of the Human
Capital Report, 2015) 190
Fig. 9.12 The Human Capital Index related to age groups. (Source:
Author’s contribution based on the data of the Human
Capital Report, 2015) 191
Fig. 9.13 The European Lifelong Learning Index. (Source: Adapted
from the ELLI Report, 2010) 193
 List of Figures  xvii

Fig. 9.14 European lifelong learning in the European context.

(Source: Author’s contribution based on the
ELLI Report, 2010) 194
Fig. 9.15 The ranking of the European countries based on the Lifelong
Learning Index in 2010. (Source: Adapted from the ELLI
Report, 2010) 195
Fig. 9.16 The world map of the Human Development Index (HDI) in
2019. (Source: Author’s own elaboration in Power BI, based
on primary data from technical annexes to the Human
Development Report (2020), The Next Frontier: Human
Development and the Anthropocene, published by UNDP) 198
Fig. 9.17 Mean years of schooling worldwide for 2019. (Source:
Author’s contribution based on the Human Development
Report (2020), The Next Frontier: Human Development and
the Anthropocene published by UNDP) 199
Fig. 9.18 Forecast of years of education for 2019. (Source: Author’s
contribution based on the Human Development Report
(2020), The Next Frontier: Human Development and the
Anthropocene published by UNDP) 200
Fig. 9.19 Life expectancy at birth for 2019. (Source: Author’s
contribution based on the Human Development Report
(2020), The Next Frontier: Human Development and the
Anthropocene published by UNDP) 201
Fig. 9.20 GNI per capita in 2019. (Source: Author’s contribution based
on the Human Development Report (2020), The Next
Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene
published by UNDP) 202
Fig. 9.21 Overview of the analyzed countries for the four pillars of the
HDI. (Source: Author’s contribution based on the Human
Development Report (2020), The Next Frontier: Human
Development and the Anthropocene published by UNDP) 204
Fig. 9.22 The trend of the Human Development Index between 1980
and 2020. (Source: Author’s contribution based on the
Human Development Report (2020), The Next Frontier:
Human Development and the Anthropocene published by
UNDP)205
Fig. 10.1 The relationship between the European Index
of Human Capital and the Global Competitiveness Index
in 2019–2020. Source: author’s contribution based
on SPSS 22 analysis 209
xviii List of Figures

Fig. 10.2 The relationship between the European index of lifelong

learning and the global competitiveness index in 2010.
Source: author’s contribution based on SPSS 22 analysis 212
Fig. 11.1 The evolution of the number of individuals enrolled in higher
education (1990–2020). (Source: National Institute of
Statistics and Economic Studies, 2020, http://statistici.insse.
ro:8077/tempo-­online/#/pages/tables/insse-­table) 224
Fig. 11.2 Distribution of universities in 2021 based on form of
property. (Source: Author contributions based on https://
www.edu.ro/institutii-­invatamant-­superior data, 2022) 226
Fig. 11.3 The types of specializations from private universities in 2014.
(Source: Author’s contribution based on www.edu.ro data,
2014)227
Fig. 11.4 The evolution of the number of students from the tax
programs for all three undergraduate cycles. (Source: CNFIS,
data available according to the reports made by state
universities)231
Fig. 11.5 The level of digital skills in Romania, DESI 2021. (Source:
European Commission (2021), Country Profile, Romania—
Index of the Digital Economy and Society)239
Fig. 12.1 Classification of universities by region by form of ownership
(2020). Source: author’s contribution based on data extracted
from TEMPO Online, accessed on May 28,2022. http://
statistici.insse.ro:8077/tempo-­online/#/pages/tables/
insse-­table 256
Fig. 12.2 Share of persons enrolled in universities by form of ownership
and by development regions in the 2019–2020 school year.
Source: author’s contribution based on data from TEMPO
Online (accessed on May 25, 2022) 257
Fig. 12.3 Density of higher education institutions in Poland. Source:
author’s own elaboration based on data from https://www.
universityguru.com/universities%2D%2Dpoland260
Fig. 12.4 Distribution of higher education institutions in Sweden.
Source: author’s own elaboration, based on data from
https://english.uka.se/about-­us/publications/
reports%2D%2Dguidelines/reports%2D%2Dguidelines/
2021-­ 09-­10-­an-­overview-­of-­swedish-­higher-­education-­and-­
research-­2021.html 262
Fig. 12.5 Share of the population aged 25–64 years with a low level of
training in Romania and the European Union between 2002
and 2020. Source: author’s contribution according to data
available on Eurostat, accessed on 28.05.2022. *2020 data
provisory265
 List of Figures  xix

Fig. 12.6 Share of population aged 25–64 years, with a low level of
education in Romania, by sex, between 2000 and 2020.
Source: personal elaboration 266
Fig. 12.7 Share of population aged 25–64 years with a low level of
training by development regions in 2020 compared to 2014.
Source: personal elaboration based on Eurostat data, accessed
on 28.05.2022 268
Fig. 12.8 Share of the population aged 25–64 years with a high level of
training in Romania and the European Union in the period
2000–2020. Source: personal elaboration based on http://
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database data, accessed on
28.05.2022269
Fig. 12.9 Share of population aged 25–64 years, with a high level of
education in Romania, by sex, in the period 2000–2020.
Source: personal elaboration based on http://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/data/database data, accessed on 28.05.2022 270
Fig. 12.10 Share of the population aged 25–64 years with a high level of
training by development region in 2020 compared to 2014.
Source: author’s contribution based on http://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/data/database data, accessed on 28.05.2022 272
Fig. 12.11 Participation of adults aged 25–64 in education and training
activities between 2002 and 2020. Source: personal
contribution based on data from https://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/databrowser/view/TRNG_LFSE_04__
custom_2815485/default/table?lang=en, accessed on
29.05.2022274
Fig. 12.12 Participation of adults aged 25–64 in education and training
activities between 2002 and 2020 in Romania by sex, Source:
personal contribution based on data from https://ec.europa.
eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/TRNG_LFSE_04__
custom_2815485/default/table?lang=en, accessed on
29.05.2022275
Fig. 12.13 Participation of adults aged 25–64 in education and training
activities by development region. Source: personal
contribution based on data from https://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/databrowser/view/TRNG_LFSE_04__
custom_2815485/default/table?lang=en, accessed on
29.05.2022277
Fig. 12.14 Employment rate of the population aged 25–64 years, with a
higher level of training (ISCED 5–8). Source: author’s
contribution based on data http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/
data/database, accessed on 24.06.2022 278
xx List of Figures

Fig. 12.15 Employment rate of the population aged 25–64, by education

levels in Romania, in the period 2000–2020. Source: author’s
contribution based on http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/
database data, accessed on 24.06.2022 279
Fig. 12.16 Unemployment rate of the population with higher education
aged between 20 and 64 years in the period 2000–2020.
Source: author’s contribution based on http://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/data/database data, accessed on 19.05.2022 282
Fig. 12.17 Unemployment rate among the population aged 20–64 by
education level in Romania in the period 2000–2020. Source:
author’s contribution based on http://ec.europa.eu/
eurostat/data/database data, accessed on 19.05.2022 284
Fig. 12.18 Evolution of GDP per capita in Romania and the European
Union in the period 2000–2020. Source: author
contributions based on https://data.worldbank.org/
indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP. CD, accessed on 29.05.2022 287
Fig. 12.19 GDP/resident by development regions in the period
2000–2020. Source: author’s contribution based on
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/
NAMA_10R_2GDP__custom_2816051/default/
table?lang=en, accessed on 29.05.2022 288
Fig. 12.20 Graphic representation of GDP/place and share of population
with higher education by development regions in the period
2000–2013. Source: author’s contribution based on analysis
in the SPSS22 programme 289
Fig. 12.21 Graphic representation of GDP/place and population
weighting with higher level of education, by development
regions, without Bucharest-Ilfov region, in the period
2000–2013. Source: author’s contribution based on analysis
in the SPSS programme, v.22 291
Fig. 12.22 Graphic representation of the share of the population with a
low level of education and of GDP/place by development
regions in the period 2000–2013. Source: author’s
contribution based on analysis in the SPSS programme, v. 22 292
Fig. 12.23 Graphic representation of the weighting of the population
with a low level of education and GDP/place by development
regions, without the Bucharest-­Ilfov region, in the period
2000–2013. Source: author’s contribution based on analysis
in the SPSS programme, v. 22 293
Fig. 13.1 Sample structure by graduate university. (Source: author’s
contribution)317
 List of Figures  xxi

Fig. 13.2 Assessment of competence at the time of graduation from a

form of university training. (Source: author’s contribution) 319
Fig. 13.3 Situation in the first six months after completing a form of
university training. (Source: author’s contribution) 321
Fig. 13.4 Statute on the labor market at the time of the research.
(Source: author’s contribution) 323
Fig. 13.5 Extent to which the workplace meets expectations. (Source:
author’s contribution) 324
Fig. 13.6 Average degree of satisfaction with aspects related to the
workplace. (Source: author’s contribution) 326
Fig. 13.7 Level of gross salary of respondents. (Source: author’s
contribution)328
Fig. 13.8 Average level of competence acquired during completed
university studies. (Source: author’s contribution) 331
Fig. 13.9 The extent to which the workplace meets the expectations of
respondents according to the type of organization in which
they work. (Source: author’s contribution) 337
Fig. 13.10 The degree of satisfaction of the respondents according to the
type of organization in which they work. (Source: author’s
contribution)338
Fig. 13.11 The degree of satisfaction of the respondents according to the
salary level. (Source: author’s contribution) 345
Fig. 13.12 The distribution of the studied companies based on their
number of employees. (Source: author’s contribution) 356
Fig. 13.13 The level of skill and the degree of contentment/satisfaction
from the point of view of employers and graduates of higher
education. (Source: author’s contribution) 359
Fig. 13.14 The relationship between higher education and employment
based on economic performance. (Source: author’s
contribution)364
 List of Tables

Table 2.1 The evolution of the definitions of human capital 33

Table 3.1 Exogenous models of economic growth 59
Table 3.2 Comparisons regarding the endogenous and
exogenous models 65
Table 4.1 Profits from investing in education based on the level of
education during 2004 on average per capita (%) 80
Table 4.2 The comeback rate of higher education 80
Table 6.1 The chart of the educational system 121
Table 6.2 The structure of the population based on the level
of education in 2013 as the weighted average of the
total population aged between 15 and 74 years old
(% of the total) 123
Table 7.1 Pearson correlation link, the determination coefficient,
and the estimated standard error 133
Table 7.2 The rates of the GDP model 134
Table 7.3 ANOVA 134
Table 7.4 Pearson correlation link, the determination coefficient,
and the estimated standard error 136
Table 7.5 The rates of the GDP model 136
Table 7.6 ANOVA 137
Table 7.7 Pearson correlation link, the determination coefficient,
and the estimated standard error 138
Table 7.8 The rates of the GDP model 139
Table 7.9 ANOVA 139
Table 7.10 Pearson correlation link, the determination coefficient,
and the estimated standard error 141

xxiii
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Title: Essentials of prayer

Author: Edward M. Bounds

Editor: Homer W. Hodge

Release date: March 27, 2024 [eBook #73271]

Language: English

Original publication: New York: Flemming H. Revell Company,

1925

Credits: Carol Brown, Brian Wilson and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESSENTIALS

OF PRAYER ***
The Essentials of Prayer
 EDITED BY HOMER W. HODGE

The Spiritual Life Books

By EDWARD M. BOUNDS

The Reality of Prayer. Cloth. $1.25

Dr. A. C. Dixon says: “If the Church would pray, as the
Scriptures Dr. Bounds unfolds teach us we may, there would
be irresistible power at work.”
The Possibilities of Prayer. Cloth $1.25
A rich, exceptionally helpful addition to Doctor Bounds’
books, which deal with the place and significance prayer has in
the life of the believer.
Heaven: A Place—A City—A Home. Cloth $1.25
Possessed of a wonderfully full knowledge of Holy
Scripture, a man of unswerving faith and mystical insight, Mr.
Bounds writes with a certitude, confidence and joyous
anticipation of the eternal felicity awaiting the faithful believer.
Purpose in Prayer. Cloth $1.25
“Mr. Bounds has the gift of insight, and with this a faculty for
selecting words to express precisely that which responds to
the heart-hunger of those who are seeking spiritual
enlightenment.”
—Sunday School Times.
Satan: His Personality, His Power, His Overthrow. Cl
oth $1.25
 The Essentials of Prayer

By

EDWARD M. BOUNDS, D.D.

Author of “Purpose in Prayer,” “The Possibilities of Prayer,” “Heaven,” “Satan,” etc.

edited by
homer w. hodge
 New York Chicago
Fleming H. Revell Company
London and Edinburgh
 Copyright, 1925, by
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

New York: 158 Fifth Avenue

Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave.
London: 21 Paternoster Square
Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street
 Foreword
The work of editing the Bounds Spiritual Life Books (of which the
present volume is the sixth) has been a labour of love which has
brought great profit and blessing to my own soul. After years of close
study of the literary remains of this great Christian, together with the
work of other mystics, I am fully persuaded that to but few of the
sons of men has there been given such spiritual power as was
vouchsafed to Edward McKendree Bounds. Truly he was a burning
and a shining light, and as The Sunday School Times says, “he was
a specialist in prayer and his books are for the quiet hour, for careful
meditation and for all who wish to seek and find the treasures of
God.”
It was my great privilege to know the author well, and also to
know that his intention, in everything he wrote, was for the salvation
of his readers. The Essentials of Prayer is sent forth in this spirit.
May God bless it to many hearts and use it for the upbuilding and
strengthening of Christian character through the length and breadth
of the land.
Homer W. Hodge.
Flushing, N. Y.
 Contents
I. Prayer Takes in the Whole Man 9
II. Prayer and Humility 19
III. Prayer and Devotion 28
IV. Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving 37
V. Prayer and Trouble 47
VI. Prayer and Trouble (Continued) 61
VII. Prayer and God’s Work 69
VIII. Prayer and Consecration 81
IX. Prayer and a Definite Religious Standard 93
X. Prayer Born of Compassion 101
XI. Concerted Prayer 111
XII. The Universality of Prayer 121
XIII. Prayer and Missions 129
 I

PRAYER TAKES IN THE WHOLE MAN

“Henry Clay Trumbull spoke forth the Infinite in the terms of
our world, and the Eternal in the forms of our human life.
Some years ago, on a ferry-boat, I met a gentleman who
knew him, and I told him that when I had last seen Dr.
Trumbull, a fortnight before, he had spoken of him. ‘Oh, yes,’
said my friend, ‘he was a great Christian, so real, so intense.
He was at my home years ago and we were talking about
prayer.” “Why, Trumbull,” I said, “you don’t mean to say if you
lost a pencil you would pray about it, and ask God to help you
find it.” “Of course I would; of course I would,” was his instant
and excited reply.’ Of course he would. Was not his faith a
real thing? Like the Saviour, he put his doctrine strongly by
taking an extreme illustration to embody his principle, but the
principle was fundamental. He did trust God in everything.
And the Father honoured the trust of His child.”—Robert E.
Speer.

Prayer has to do with the entire man. Prayer takes in man in his
whole being, mind, soul and body. It takes the whole man to pray,
and prayer affects the entire man in its gracious results. As the
whole nature of man enters into prayer, so also all that belongs to
man is the beneficiary of prayer. All of man receives benefits in
prayer. The whole man must be given to God in praying. The largest
results in praying come to him who gives himself, all of himself, all
that belongs to himself, to God. This is the secret of full
consecration, and this is a condition of successful praying, and the
sort of praying which brings the largest fruits.
 The men of olden times who wrought well in prayer, who brought
the largest things to pass, who moved God to do great things, were
those who were entirely given over to God in their praying. God
wants, and must have, all that there is in man in answering his
prayers. He must have whole-hearted men through whom to work
out His purposes and plans concerning men. God must have men in
their entirety. No double-minded man need apply. No vacillating man
can be used. No man with a divided allegiance to God, and the world
and self, can do the praying that is needed.
Holiness is wholeness, and so God wants holy men, men whole-
hearted and true, for His service and for the work of praying. “And
the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your
whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These are the sort of men God
wants for leaders of the hosts of Israel, and these are the kind out of
which the praying class is formed.
Man is a trinity in one, and yet man is neither a trinity nor a dual
creature when he prays, but a unit. Man is one in all the essentials
and acts and attitudes of piety. Soul, spirit and body are to unite in all
things pertaining to life and godliness. The body, first of all, engages
in prayer, since it assumes the praying attitude in prayer. Prostration
of the body becomes us in praying as well as prostration of the soul.
The attitude of the body counts much in prayer, although it is true
that the heart may be haughty and lifted up, and the mind listless
and wandering, and the praying a mere form, even while the knees
are bent in prayer.
Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day in prayer.
Solomon kneeled in prayer at the dedication of the temple. Our Lord
in Gethsemane prostrated Himself in that memorable season of
praying just before His betrayal. Where there is earnest and faithful
praying the body always takes on the form most suited to the state of
the soul at the time. The body, that far, joins the soul in praying.
The entire man must pray. The whole man, life, heart, temper,
mind, are in it. Each and all join in the prayer exercise. Doubt,
double-mindedness, division of the affections, are all foreign to the
closet. Character and conduct, undefiled, made whiter than snow,
are mighty potencies, and are the most seemly beauties for the
closet hour, and for the struggles of prayer.
A loyal intellect must conspire and add the energy and fire of its
undoubting and undivided faith to that kind of an hour, the hour of
prayer. Necessarily the mind enters into the praying. First of all, it
takes thought to pray. The intellect teaches us we ought to pray. By
serious thinking beforehand the mind prepares itself for approaching
a throne of grace. Thought goes before entrance into the closet and
prepares the way for true praying. It considers what will be asked for
in the closet hour. True praying does not leave to the inspiration of
the hour what will be the requests of that hour. As praying is asking
for something definite of God, so, beforehand, the thought arises
—“What shall I ask for at this hour?” All vain and evil and frivolous
thoughts are eliminated, and the mind is given over entirely to God,
thinking of Him, of what is needed, and what has been received in
the past. By every token, prayer, in taking hold of the entire man,
does not leave out the mind. The very first step in prayer is a mental
one. The disciples took that first step when they said unto Jesus at
one time, “Lord, teach us to pray.” We must be taught through the
intellect, and just in so far as the intellect is given up to God in
prayer, will we be able to learn well and readily the lesson of prayer.
Paul spreads the nature of prayer over the whole man. It must be
so. It takes the whole man to embrace in its god-like sympathies the
entire race of man—the sorrows, the sins and the death of Adam’s
fallen race. It takes the whole man to run parallel with God’s high
and sublime will in saving mankind. It takes the whole man to stand
with our Lord Jesus Christ as the one Mediator between God and
sinful man. This is the doctrine Paul teaches in his prayer-directory in
the second chapter of his first Epistle to Timothy.
Nowhere does it appear so clearly that it requires the entire man
in all departments of his being, to pray than in this teaching of Paul.
It takes the whole man to pray till all the storms which agitate his
soul are calmed to a great calm, till the stormy winds and waves
cease as by a Godlike spell. It takes the whole man to pray till cruel
tyrants and unjust rulers are changed in their natures and lives, as
well as in their governing qualities, or till they cease to rule. It
requires the entire man in praying till high and proud and unspiritual
ecclesiastics become gentle, lowly and religious, till godliness and
gravity bear rule in Church and in State, in home and in business, in
public as well as in private life.
It is man’s business to pray; and it takes manly men to do it. It is
godly business to pray and it takes godly men to do it. And it is godly
men who give over themselves entirely to prayer. Prayer is far-
reaching in its influence and in its gracious effects. It is intense and
profound business which deals with God and His plans and
purposes, and it takes whole-hearted men to do it. No half-hearted,
half-brained, half-spirited effort will do for this serious, all-important,
heavenly business. The whole heart, the whole brain, the whole
spirit, must be in the matter of praying, which is so mightily to affect
the characters and destinies of men.
The answer of Jesus to the scribe as to what was the first and
greatest commandment was as follows:
“The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind, and with all thy strength.”
In one word, the entire man without reservation must love God.
So it takes the same entire man to do the praying which God
requires of men. All the powers of man must be engaged in it. God
cannot tolerate a divided heart in the love He requires of men,
neither can He bear with a divided man in praying.
In the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm the Psalmist teaches
this very truth in these words:
“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek
him with the whole heart.”
It takes whole-hearted men to keep God’s commandments and it
demands the same sort of men to seek God. These are they who are
counted “blessed.” Upon these whole-hearted ones God’s approval
rests.
 Bringing the case closer home to himself the Psalmist makes this
declaration as to his practice: “With my whole heart have I sought
thee; O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
And further on, giving us his prayer for a wise and understanding
heart, he tells us his purposes concerning the keeping of God’s law:
“Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I
shall observe it with my whole heart.”
Just as it requires a whole heart given to God to gladly and fully
obey God’s commandments, so it takes a whole heart to do effectual
praying.
Because it requires the whole man to pray, praying is no easy
task. Praying is far more than simply bending the knee and saying a
few words by rote.

“’Tis not enough to bend the knee,

And words of prayer to say;
The heart must with the lips agree,
Or else we do not pray.”
Praying is no light and trifling exercise. While children should be
taught early to pray, praying is no child’s task. Prayer draws upon the
whole nature of man. Prayer engages all the powers of man’s moral
and spiritual nature. It is this which explains somewhat the praying of
our Lord described as in Hebrews 5:7:
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up
prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto
him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in
that he feared.”
It takes only a moment’s thought to see how such praying of our
Lord drew mightily upon all the powers of His being, and called into
exercise every part of His nature. This is the praying which brings
the soul close to God and which brings God down to earth.
Body, soul and spirit are taxed and brought under tribute to
prayer. David Brainerd makes this record of his praying:
 “God enabled me to agonise in prayer till I was wet with
perspiration, though in the shade and in a cool place.”
The Son of God in Gethsemane was in an agony of prayer, which
engaged His whole being:
“And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray ye
that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from
them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed,
saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me;
nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And there
appeared an angel unto him, from heaven, strengthening him.
And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the
ground.” Luke 22:40-44.
Here was praying which laid its hands on every part of our Lord’s
nature, which called forth all the powers of his soul, His mind and His
body. This was praying which took in the entire man.
Paul was acquainted with this kind of praying. In writing to the
Roman Christians, he urges them to pray with him after this fashion:
“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s
sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with
me in your prayers to God for me.”
The words, “strive together with me,” tells of Paul’s praying, and
how much he put into it. It is not a docile request, not a little thing,
this sort of praying, this “striving with me.” It is of the nature of a
great battle, a conflict to win, a great battle to be fought. The praying
Christian, as the soldier, fights a life-and-death struggle. His honour,
his immortality, and eternal life are all in it. This is praying as the
athlete struggles for the mastery, and for the crown, and as he
wrestles or runs a race. Everything depends on the strength he puts
in it. Energy, ardour, swiftness, every power of his nature is in it.
Every power is quickened and strained to its very utmost. Littleness,
half-heartedness, weakness and laziness are all absent.
Just as it takes the whole man to pray successfully, so in turn the
whole man receives the benefits of such praying. As every part of
man’s complex being enters into true praying, so every part of that
same nature receives blessings from God in answer to such praying.
This kind of praying engages our undivided hearts, our full consent
to be the Lord’s, our whole desires.
God sees to it that when the whole man prays, in turn the whole
man shall be blessed. His body takes in the good of praying, for
much praying is done specifically for the body. Food and raiment,
health and bodily vigour, come in answer to praying. Clear mental
action, right thinking, an enlightened understanding, and safe
reasoning powers, come from praying. Divine guidance means God
so moving and impressing the mind, that we shall make wise and
safe decisions. “The meek will he guide in judgment.”
Many a praying preacher has been greatly helped just at this
point. The unction of the Holy One which comes upon the preacher
invigorates the mind, loosens up thought and gives utterance. This is
the explanation of former days when men of very limited education
had such wonderful liberty of the Spirit in praying and in preaching.
Their thoughts flowed as a stream of water. Their entire intellectual
machinery felt the impulse of the Divine Spirit’s gracious influences.
And, of course, the soul receives large benefits in this sort of
praying. Thousands can testify to this statement. So we repeat, that
as the entire man comes into play in true, earnest effectual praying,
so the entire man, soul, mind and body, receives the benefits of
prayer.
 II

PRAYER AND HUMILITY

“If two angels were to receive at the same moment a
commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s
grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its
meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to
each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post
of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience
to God’s will, and with equal joy they would lift a Lazarus in
his rags to Abraham’s bosom, or be a chariot of fire to carry
an Elijah home.”—John Newton.

To be humble is to have a low estimate of one’s self. It is to be

modest, lowly, with a disposition to seek obscurity. Humility retires
itself from the public gaze. It does not seek publicity nor hunt for high
places, neither does it care for prominence. Humility is retiring in its
nature. Self-abasement belongs to humility. It is given to self-
depreciation. It never exalts itself in the eyes of others nor even in
the eyes of itself. Modesty is one of its most prominent
characteristics.
In humility there is the total absence of pride, and it is at the very
farthest distance from anything like self-conceit. There is no self-
praise in humility. Rather it has the disposition to praise others. “In
honour preferring one another.” It is not given to self-exaltation.
Humility does not love the uppermost seats and aspire to the high
places. It is willing to take the lowliest seat and prefers those places
where it will be unnoticed. The prayer of humility is after this fashion:

“Never let the world break in,