Book Description

The culmination of a five-year project by the International Forum on Globalization (IFG), this book presents an inspiring plan for moving toward more sustainable, humanistic models of economic prosperity with an emphasis on citizen democracies, local self-sufficiency, and ecological health. Areas of discussion include the ten core requirements for democratic societies as well as alternative systems of energy, agriculture, and manufacturing. Written by a premier group of 18 thinkers from around the world and edited by best-selling authors John Cavanagh and Jerry Mander, this revised and expanded edition represents the official consensus of the living democracy movement. Delving into the most compelling alternatives to globalization thus far, it features a chart on the effects of globalization and three entirely new chapters on the global balance of power, the media, and what ordinary people can do about globalization. ... Read more

Book Description

Can one explain the power of global capitalism without attributing to capital a logic and coherence it does not have? Can one account for the powers of techno-science in terms that do not merely reproduce its own understanding of the world? Rule of Experts examines these questions through a series of interrelated essays focused on Egypt in the twentieth century. These explore the way malaria, sugar cane, war, and nationalism interacted to produce the techno-politics of the modern Egyptian state; the forms of debt, discipline, and violence that founded the institution of private property; the methods of measurement, circulation, and exchange that produced the novel idea of a national "economy," yet made its accurate representation impossible; the stereotypes and plagiarisms that created the scholarly image of the Egyptian peasant; and the interaction of social logics, horticultural imperatives, powers of desire, and political forces that turned programs of economic reform in unanticipated directions. Mitchell is a widely known political theorist and one of the most innovative writers on the Middle East. He provides a rich examination of the forms of reason, power, and expertise that characterize contemporary politics. Together, these intellectually provocative essays will challenge a broad spectrum of readers to think harder, more critically, and more politically about history, power, and theory. 1 b/w photograph, 5 line illustrations ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mitchell continues to innovate
Timothy Mitchell writes consistently on the Middle East in ways that challenge the presupposition of field. This book is a collection and revision of many studies previously published, but they are integrated into a whole to provide insights into new ways to consider. The conclusions thereof are wide-ranging, highlighting the falsification and fallacies of behind the reasoned application of universalized logics capital and techno-politics to Egyptian particularities.

Mitchell's most powerful and provocative insights occur in his essays on the history of peasant politics in instances of malaria epidemics, colonial agricultural policies, and violence and the establishment of private property and land 'reforms'. This work likely can bring its insights to bear are on any research currently being done on the Middle East.

Thoughtful and envigorating
Mitchell's "Colonising Egypt" transformed my experience as a student in Egypt, so I was looking forward to this work from one of the best minds in in Middle East Studies. "Rule of Experts: Egypt, Techno-Politics, Modernity" does not disappoint. Mitchell's work is self-reflective, de-orientalized, thought-provoking scholarship. Mitchell not only connects contemporary political and postmodern theory to his Egyptian primary sources, but he extends theory in new directions and unique interdisiplinary ways. Mitchell empowers the reader to think critically about the negative influences of power and hegemonic discourse on policy and scholarship to create distorted representations and self-fulfilling, self-replicating prophecies. We need more writers like Mitchell to question and challenge the current theory and expertise that has so much currency and momentum in the echo chambers of the Washington Consensus.

The essays cover a wide range of 20th-century topics from malaria to mapmaking, from the manipulated image of the peasant to techno-political nonsense in current development praxis. I have long believed that developmental applications of modern economic theory are very much a "faith-based" process, and Mitchell has put these thoughts in engaging prose. In addition, I was particularly impressed by the chapter on violence, which helped me frame my own thinking on violence, for example, in Syria, Algeria, or Tunisia, places where not so hidden violence functions as an instrument of power and social control. Mitchell writes eloquently on issues that have troubled most of those who work or live or travel in the developing world and who have not found the right language to express their reservations about the descriptive and prescriptive power of current scholarship and techno-political expertise. ... Read more

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Reviews (14)

Challenging the Rhetoric of Market Purity
Robert Kuttner takes on free trader's myth, which perpetuates the need for pure markets and limited government. He points out how this ideology, which has brought about the deregulation of many industries and continually pressures for reduced government spending -- on infrastructure, research and development -- has seriously retarded wide economic growth. The result of the U.S. economic policy over the last thirty years has created widening income inequality, limited access to universalities such as health care and basic economic security, and a breakdown of democracy that was established to protect American citizens from private tyranny. He challenges the free-market ideologues that continually influence politics and law by preaching the rhetoric of whatever the outcome of the market must be optimal if it is the result of the operation of the market. Kuttner explains that the myth is allowed to perpetuate not do to economic problems, but because of a lack of political power on the part of most Americans.

Kuttner makes a fine argument through his comprehensive survey of most sectors of the American economy and the social effects of unregulated capital. Moreover, he points out that pure market efficiency is only possible in spot markets, and rarely occurs in reality. He further faults the free market ideologues on their notion that everything can be reduced to markets, citing that markets in certain items are contrary to public policy or unlikely to be produced due to the theory of free-riders, such as with public infrastructure. Kuttner explains that the corporate call for "pure markets," freed from regulatory constraints, is really a corporate call for liberation from its extra-market commitments to community and charity.

Kuttner's position for alleviating most of these problems that have arisen through the "pure market" myth is to increase the size and stance of government to a more socialist form similar to those of Western Europe, with a mixed economy. He calls for the government to intervene by taking over administration of extra-market commitments and universalities such as health care and pension benefits, and provide incentives to corporations that are socially responsible to their employees. Moreover, Kuttner seeks a redistribution of economic and political power through a return to a progressive tax system that weighs heavier on persons with greater wealth and income. He contends that Americans need to display the habits of a strong democracy in order to keep markets in their place.

After reading this book, it is obvious that Mr. Kuttner is very passionate about the subject for which he writes. My only critism of his work is that it is a bit cumbersome.

Marginal theory
This insightful, hilarious actually, treatment of free market mania and economics is important reading since there are few books around that can stand up to the legitimation tactics (Foucault stuff, if you recall) of the current theories. There are two questions, markets, and the theories that justify them, and/or make them worse than they need be because of theoretical obsessions that are really ideologies. Looking at the complex arcana in most economic treatises would leave most silenced in awe by the triumphs of reason, little suspecting that most of it is paper airplane category pulp fiction.
At least economists manage to allow some critique of their subject (delusions can cost real money). The field of evolutionary theory needs a book like this, but unfortunately the domination of the paradigm there is so total as to allow no dissent at all in normal channels and it in fact costs no one anything since it all happened long ago and good for the dog eat dog economy anyway (real money) to be deluded in that case.

A balanced form of capitalism
Robert Kuttner's "Everything for Sale" does a fine job of criticizing unregulated markets. The author takes a look at how markets price themselves in various industries and discusses the relative strengths and weaknesses of the pricing model. Kuttner reveals that in most markets, the public good can be best served by both allowing the "virtues" of the market to work freely and by implementing regulations that correct whatever "limits" may be found in any particular market.

Kuttner also includes a moral dimension to his discussion, where appropriate. As we all know, markets respond only to money. But as a society, we have decided that it would be immoral, for example, to deny health care to seniors who can't afford to pay; consequently we have Medicare and Medicaid to fix this fundamental market flaw. Similarly, Kuttner shows us where pricing models in certain industries fail to take proper account of environmental, labor and social costs and suggests common-sense ways to correct them.

Opinions about the value of Kuttner's work vary widely. Laissez-faire idealogues have charged that the work amounts to "socialism" (see one of the reviews below). To judge for yourself, take a quick look at just one of the industries that Kuttner critiques in the book: airlines.

Kuttner calls the Reagan-era deregulation of the airline industry a "failed experiment". He points out the many problems that have occured since deregulation, including: declining levels of passenger service, airline consolidation and monopolistic pricing, loss of service to small cities, circuitous routing of flights, declining safety levels, etc. I think most people would agree with the accuracy of Kuttner's assessment and that indeed, air travel has become much less appealing today.

Kuttner's solution is to create a system of "regulated airline competition". Fares would be set at levels that would allow sufficient funds to be allocated to properly maintain planes, better serve passengers, restore service to under-served areas, increase competition, and so on. I found Kuttner's ideas to be reasonable -- not ideological -- in that they balance the needs of business and the public in a fair manner.

Of course, Kuttner wrote this in 1999. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have only made a bad situation worse. Ironically, public funds were required to save the industry from insolvency. Therefore one could argue that Kuttner's recommendations for greater public accountability is far from unreasonable.

Again, the airline industry is just one example. Kuttner also has much to say that is useful about healthcare, energy, finance, labor, and more. As some of these industries currently seem to be imploding due to the excesses of laissez-faire (Enron, Arthur Andersen, WorldCom, etc.), Kuttner's thoughts on the dangers of unregulated behavior prevalent in these industries appears to be more valuable now than ever.

In the current climate of investor skepticism and high-profile corporate fraud, tighter controls over business behavior may be just the medicine our economy needs to heal itself, restore investor confidence and ensure that businesses become more responsive to people's needs. In that light, I don't view Kuttner's ideas as socialistic at all; rather, I think Kuttner helps us preserve capitalism by curbing its most destructive tendencies. To that end, "Everything for Sale" can provide guidance to citizens and policymakers who may be pondering how we can build an economy that works for everyone, and I highly recommend it.

At last, an economist in touch with reality
If you really want to understand how the economy works to create winners and losers, this book is the place to start. It is a dangerous book. Four hundred pages overflowing with historic detail. No simplistic models or mathematical equations. No easy answers. Savy analyses of real industries that will be helpful to any stock market operator. The book will be attacked by ideologues and some of its proscriptions are debatable. But no intelligent person can come away from it without a clearer understanding of our business system and the compelling need for mature political solutions to contemporary economic problems.

A good counterpoint to the religion of the free market
Recently, the theologian Harvey Cox published a tongue in cheek article in the Atlantic Monthly comparing free market economics to a religious sect. Judging from the reaction to Kuttner's book, Cox's article was right on the money. The book's detractors make dismissive ad-hominem attacks on Kuttner's credentials, inaccurately portray the thrust and substance of his arguments to make them appear ludicrous, or simply assert that any one who is against pure free market ideology is no more than a heretical imbecile. One user's review here - the one that accuses Kuttner of "bloviating" - was lifted verbatim and without citation from the Reason magazine review of the book, hardly a non-biased source of information. It is a prime example of this form of criticism. Clearly its author and I did not read the same book.

I found Kuttner's book to be a reasoned argument against pure laissez faire. Kuttner intentionally aimed the book at the educated general reader and has hit that mark well. His intention was to present empirical examples of non-market interventions that produced better outcomes than market alternatives and he has done that. I challenge the free market critics of the book to address these examples, the book's substance, rather than its theology. ... Read more

Book Description

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors of China Wakes comes this insightful and comprehensive look at Asia on the rise.

The recent economic crisis in Asia heaped devastation upon millions. Yet Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn argue that it was the best thing that could have happened to Asia. It destroyed the cronyism, protectionism, and government regulation that had been crippling Asian business for decades, and it left in its wake a vast region of resilient and determined millions poised to wrest economic, diplomatic and military power from the West. Thunder from the East is a riveting look at a complex region, a fascinating panoply of compelling characters, and a prophetic analysis from arguably the West's most informed and intelligent writers on Asia.
... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excellent warts-and-all view of a changing Asia
The authors write of their experiences and observations in a number of Asian countries. Their story is greatly helped by conversations with people from all walks of life, from world leaders to the desperately poor. Their story is very well told, and is consistent with my experiences in Asia.

Anyone who aspiring to "think globally and act locally" needs to read this book. Opponents of globalization are especially advised to read this book -- the world looks a lot different on the ground in parts of Asia than it does from the comfort of a North American or Western European armchair. High-minded ideals can cause a lot of real damage to the poorest of the poor, to those in most need of help.

An Excellent Survey of Asia
Mr. Kristoff and Ms. WuDunn have written a very interesting and engaging book about one of the most important areas of the world. The strength and weakness of the book derives from the authors' close contact with average people in the areas the write about. This puts a wonderfully human face on an area that for too many Americans becomes a faceless mass of statistics. But sometimes I think the authors are too quick to jump from anecdote to larger societal truth.

I found some of the early history of the region especially fascinating having never been exposed to that before. Like the authors, I spent time afterward thinking about what might have been had China not destroyed its 15th century navy. It is a useful counterpoint to the common argument that the triumph of the West over the past several centuries was inevitable.

The book also provides many good insights into Asia's potential for the future. I was also impressed that the authors seemed very cognizant of the limits of their predictive powers and often pointed the wide variety of things that could happen to change their overall outlook. I would recommend this book for all but the most serious scholars of Asia.

The sequel is never as good as the original
While I didn't find this book as edifying as "China Wakes," it's still a good read. Its greatest strength is the vignette format, with anecdotes, history, and statistics from various countries in the region and chapters divided by topic. The authors admit, rightfully, that with the breadth of territory they cover in this book the treatment is bound to be superficial to some degree, but it makes for a much more engaging read for someone interested in Asian studies in a broad sense, rather than the usual academic "fine-toothed-comb" treatment of a narrow topic. Their writing style is nonacademic, which is both highly engaging and very refreshing, and helps this book to appeal to a wide audience, not just ivory-tower types.

There are a few problems with the book, which can take something away from its enjoyability. First, there is a tremendous amount of editorializing. The authors may have felt this was necessary to tie together the disjunctive stories and histories they discuss, but I have a firm belief that the intelligence of the reader and the topic-as-chapter format would have made a much better tie than so much author opinion. That excessive editorializing and the overuse of "the upshot is" to explain things to the reader detracts from the maturity of the writing style. Additionally, the writers obviously consider themselves much more well-versed in Asia-related topics than most Americans. This is fine, but at certain points in the book the reader can't help but think that the authors mistake Americans for idiots. They assert, for example, that most people think of pastoral rice-paddy scenes, and not urban overcrowding, when they think of Asia. Who thinks that? I don't know anyone who doesn't tie overpopulation with India and China! Another example is when the authors assert (more than once) that people perceive Indonesia as stable. Who are these people? Most people I know, in wake of the East Timor situation (not the Bali bombing, since this book was published in '01) and religious/ethnic rioting in that country think of Indonesia as anything BUT stable. These weaknesses combine to give the reader a sense of being pandered to at times--a certain attitude of condescension, if you will.

Overall, this is a good book. It's great for people not well-versed in Asian studies, because it's broad enough to give people an easy-to-read introduction to the region (with both strengths and weaknesses presented). It's also good, however, for people who ARE heavily involved in Asian studies readings, since most of us in academia don't get many chances like this to venture out of our chosen country/culture of study and view the region as a larger whole.

Slightly Over-optimistic
I think the authors have gone overboard in their rosy opinions. But I do recommend this book highly because they did their homework by interviewing lots of people on the ground in China. Their resumes are also sterling: Kristof is a NY Times editor, Harvard grad with a first-class honors in Law from Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and his wife, the co-author, is a Harvard MBA who shared a Pulitzer Prize with him for their China reporting. Some credentials.

Couldn't make it through Nicholas's fear mongering
I gave up in chapter six titled "Brutal Drive" after Nicholas's fear mongering left me with too many doubts about the genuineness of his writing. It seemed that Nicholas had a "message" to deliver and I lost confidence that I'd get any information unless it supported his message. The straw that broke the camel's back was his statement that Asia rose from pain and America rose from great optimism and a belief in manifest destiny. This seems to ignore over 100 years of slavery in America, the great depression, indentured servitude, and the list could go on. Also in the book he has numerous examples of how Asians are making sacrifices in the hopes of achieving a better life, sounds like optimism to me, and I'd be suprised if there wern't numerous similar asians over the last 1,000 years. I know he's well aware of the chinese diaspora.

But even the first 5 chapters do whet the appetite for more knowledge of asia. Do you know who Zheng He is? So in that respect I think the authors achieved one purpose of the book. I for one decided to get a copy of "CHINA: A New History" by John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman. So if you're interested enough to read through reviews of this book, then you'd probably do better to look elsewhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The way in which regulation works is a key concern of industries, consumers, citizens, and governments alike. Understanding Regulation takes the reader through the central issues of regulation and discusses these from a number of disciplinary perspectives. The fundamental strategies, institutions, and explanations of regulation are reviewed and the means of identifying 'good' regulation are outlined. ... Read more

Book Description

Using econometric analysis, the author examines factors that determine patterns of aid giving including aggregate aid flows, aid from multilateral organisations and aid from bilateral donors such as Germany, Japan, the US and Arabia. ... Read more

Book Description

Contests conventional wisdom on Japan's postwar economic success and its economic and political problems in the 1990s, providing a new account of these conditions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Must read for IPE and comparative politics
By far the best book on Japan.I'm not surprised.Would never expect anything less from Patterson. ... Read more

Book Description

Wealth inequity, corporate welfare, and industrial pollution are the symptoms of our sickened economy, Marjorie Kelly suggests. The underlying illness is shareholder primacy. In The Divine Right of Capital, she shows that the corporate drive to maximize shareholder profits at any cost is not only out of step with democratic and free-market principles, but is detrimental to the long-term health of individual companies and the economy as a whole. Kelly, the cofounder and editor of the national journal Business Ethics, offers a far-reaching solution to rebuild corporations in a way that serves all. The Divine Right of Capital is a radical critique of the corporate economy, newly updated with information on Enron and other business scandals. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Highly Recommended!
In The Divine Right of Capital, Marjorie Kelly has written a thoughtful, somewhat revolutionary book questioning the basic paradigm of corporate capital: maximizing shareholders' earnings. She compares stockholders who own corporate wealth to feudal European aristocracy as she contends that the current system bestows riches on owners - who add little value to the company - while the employees do all the work. She focuses on this argument despite recent history, during which managers have extracted more value from companies than owners. Her book is a fascinating, clearly written and cogently argued attack, although she repeats some of the central points. Kelly covers the six principles that uphold the economic aristocracy and the six qualities needed to shift to the economic democracy she advocates. While we from getAbstract don't agree with Kelly's philosophy, we suspect that her lively book will intrigue economists, academics and others who like to contemplate the way whole systems function, whether for good or ill.

Necessary New Perspective
For anyone who's ever felt a disconnect between what they're hearing about the economy and what they're experiencing personally, Marjorie Kelly's book is very enlightening. She challenges some of the fundamental assumptions we hold about the stock market's role in the overall economy. Particularly in the context of current debates about corporate responsibility legislation and the privatization of Social Security, this book is very important. "The Divine Right of Capital" is a must-read for social justice activists and market conservatives alike as we all try to figure out what to do with this broken system in post-Enron America. Love them or hate them, the ideas Kelly offers up are innovative and groundbreaking.

Note: I've talked to a couple of more radical/anarchist/extreme whatever types who found this a little on the tame side because it's so darn grounded in reality. If you're really about tearing down the whole system (not my approach, but best of luck), there might be more satisfying extremist rants out there. For everyone else, read this now!

Essential reading
As much information as I absorb about our state of government, there are still some very broad assumptions which pass under my radar. This book shines a brilliant light on issues that are critically important for ANYONE who wishes to consider themselves 'informed'.

The most basic mythology exposed: that those who speculate have superior & perpetual rights over those who earn by labor. The bias in our mass media & legal institutions is so outrageous that at first it's difficult to accept just how deeply we are being bluffed.

I am now on my second reading. If you only read one nonfiction book this year (instead of the Wall Street fiction & PR positioned as fact) do yourself a huge favor & buy this book.

Unclear; Very Confused; Muddled Thinking
Wonderful example of how undisciplined, muddled thinking can create unsound arguments, based on invalid premises, that yield conclusions that will confirm one's biases. Perhaps in a follow-up book, the author will "prove" that the world is flat. An early mistake: She declares that it is (mostly) false that stockholders fund major public corporations, noting that shares trade in secondary markets. Accordingly, she draws the conclusion that there is no reason that corporations should maximize the interests of stockholders and minimize the interests of shareholders, and that it would be just as appropriate to put the interests of employees first. In fact, clear economic thinking reveals that successful corporations do make the interests of employees a high priority, because a corporation with unhappy employees has difficulty retaining employees, which makes for an unsuccessful company. Further, when a corporation raises capital, it often does so by means of a public offering of securities, which is really an agreement between the corporation and the stockholders where the stockholders give the corporation money in exchange for the right to an ownership interest in the corporation. Whether the shares stay in the hands of the original purchaser or whether the purchaser sells them in secondary markets is not germain; whoever holds the shares holds the right to the ownership interest, which may yield value through appreciation, sale or dividends. If you think her argument that it would be equally appropriate for a corporation to maximize payments to employees and minimize the interests of stockholders, just try this little exercise: Form a coproration and attempt to raise capital to run the corporation (including to pay employees). Then tell the potential investors of your plan to minimize value to stockholders. Then count how many of these potential investors actually invest their money in your corporation. (Hint: if you guessed more than zero, you're too high.)

For years I've been wondering
One of the many reasons why I loved this book was because it answered a question I have had for years: Long after the initial public offering, how does the money used to buy a share of stock become available to the company that issued the stock?

I read many books in the public press that aimed to explain stocks and bonds to the unknowing, but I could never find the answer to this question and decided that it was a dumb question.

The Divine Right of Capital begins with the answer to my question: A public company only gets capital from a share of stock once: when it initially issues the stock. Any further increase in the stock price goes only to speculators also known as stockholders.

These speculators provide needed liquidity but law stipulates that in return they get compensated inordinately to the detriment of the corporation and its employees.

I think that the author's arguments might win the day (despite the readiness of some reviewers here to dismiss them as the rantings of yet another leftist) if emerging companies choose to raise capital by means other than issuing public stock.

Meanwhile however, Supreme Court decisions giving corporations the rights of natural persons are ludicrous and I do not understand why saying this is enough to earn a person the label of hippie leftist. ... Read more

Book Description

Who controls markets and profits from them? Does competition or monopoly result in a more beneficial economy? How can the economic playing field become fairer or more biased in either direction? The study of industrial organization extends to the core of these most important questions of economics. Throughout the field's history, various clashing schools of thought have attempted to sort through these complex issues, examining both abstract theory and real-life cases. The Fifth Edition of this widely used, highly regarded text includes coverage of dramatic changes in the field. Shepherd & Shepherd provide broad, balanced coverage of topics without showing preference to any single point of view, encouraging students to think independently. This emphasis on independent judgment is evident throughout the book, with discussion of structure placed before performance to assist the reader in thinking about causation. Topics are organized for maximum flexibility, with distinct chapters covering case studies, antitrust and regulation policy, and capital markets. ... Read more

Book Description

Kiggundu argues that we, the incipient global society comprised of governments, corporations, NGOs, and individuals, must take a strategic approach to managing globalization. He explores strategies in the fields of public sector reform, governmental use of technology, foreign direct investment and international trade policy, the evolving World Trade Organization, cultures of entrepreneurship, labor standards, and environmental protection. ... Read more

Book Description

Firms and entrepreneurs of all types¡ªfrom microenterprises to multinationals¡ªplay a central role in growth and poverty reduction. Their investment decisions drive job creation, the availability and affordability of goods and services for consumers, and the tax revenues governments can draw on to fund health, education, and other services. Their contribution depends largely on the way governments shape the investment climate in each location¡ªthrough the protection of property rights, regulation and taxation, strategies for providing infrastructure, interventions in finance and labor markets, and broader governance features such as corruption.

The World Development Report 2005 argues that improving the investment climates of their societies should be a top priority for governments. Drawing on surveys of nearly 30,000 firms in 53 developing countries, country case studies, and other new research, the Report explores questions such as:

* What are the key features of a good investment climate, and how do they influence growth and poverty?

* What can governments do to improve their investment climates, and how can they go about tackling such a broad agenda?

* What has been learned about good practice in each of the main areas of the investment climate?

* What role might selective interventions and international arrangements play in improving the investment climate?

* What can the international community do to help developing countries improve the investment climates of their societies?

In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Bank's new program of Investment Climate Surveys, the Bank's Doing Business Project, and World Development Indicators 2004¡ªan appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development. ... Read more

Book Description

This is an introductory survey of the history and recent development of Latin American economy and society from colonial times to the establishment of the military regime in Chile. In the second edition the historical perspective has been enlarged and important events since the Cuban Revolution, such as the agrarian reforms of Peru and Chile, the difficulties of the Central America Common Market and LAFTA, the acceleration of industrialisation in Brazil and the consolidation of the Cuban economy, are discussed. The statistical information has been extended to the early 1970s and the demographic data to 1975. ... Read more

Book Description

The Illusion of Socialism and Self-Reliance in Tanzania ... Read more

Book Description

Timely, original, provocative, and one of the first studies of the way in which the World Bank is reinventing itself as the "Knowledge Bank."Essential for those with an interest in the future of the World Bank, the role of think tanks, and the changing nature of development. ... Read more

Book Description

The economics of growth has come a long way since it regained center stage for economists in the mid-1980s. Here for the first time is a series of country studies guided by that research. The thirteen essays, by leading economists, shed light on some of the most important growth puzzles of our time. How did China grow so rapidly despite the absence of full-fledged private property rights? What happened in India after the early 1980s to more than double its growth rate? How did Botswana and Mauritius avoid the problems that other countries in sub--Saharan Africa succumbed to? How did Indonesia manage to grow over three decades despite weak institutions and distorted microeconomic policies and why did it suffer such a collapse after 1997?

What emerges from this collective effort is a deeper understanding of the centrality of institutions. Economies that have performed well over the long term owe their success not to geography or trade, but to institutions that have generated market-oriented incentives, protected property rights, and enabled stability. However, these narratives warn against a cookie-cutter approach to institution building.

The contributors are Daron Acemoglu, Maite Careaga, Gregory Clark, J. Bradford DeLong, Georges de Menil, William Easterly, Ricardo Hausmann, Simon Johnson, Daniel Kaufmann, Massimo Mastruzzi, Ian W. McLean, Lant Pritchett, Yingyi Qian, James A. Robinson, Devesh Roy, Arvind Subramanian, Alan M. Taylor, Jonathan Temple, Barry R. Weingast, Susan Wolcott, and Diego Zavaleta. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Completely updated and revised in this eighth edition, Leading Issues in Economic Development, covers the main issues in economic development through professional journal articles by leading scholars. These articles are edited to provide greater accessibility to an undergraduate audience and organized thematically using overview essays along with explanatory notes and comments. This distinctive approach allows for a variety of perspectives while keeping the most important overall themes in sight. This extensive collection of articles and essays is prefaced with an introductory section that covers the measurement of development, recent economic performance of less developed countries, and the discipline of development economics. It also provides historical perspective on how the world divided into rich and poor countries and treatments of international trade, human resources, investment and finance, urbanization and the informal sector, agriculture, income distribution, political economy, as well as development and the environment. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good second step in development economics
This book is a very good introduction to development economics for those who have some background in economics.The book does assume some prior knowledge of concepts and terminology, as it seeks to address many of the main contemporary issues related to development.There is a definite bias of focus on Third World developing countries rather than transitional or developed countries.

The issues addressed include the more traditional ones (such as poverty reduction, trade policy, population issues, financing issues) coupled with some newer areas of debate (such as the specific role of women in development).Most interesting I found the section on industrial and technological progress, which follows from the classical eocnomics argument that there should be no indsutrial policy.As it is a compilation of arguments, it does not go terribly in depth in any of the subjects, but offers enough references for those who wish to do so.

For the introductory student of development, this is an essential compilation.For the more advanced student, this is great reference and the bibliography is a list of important works.

Wonderful collection of articles
I found this book extremely useful for understanding development economics. It provides a variety of different approaches and theories with clear explanations from the editors. A great source that I recommend strongly.

very useful introduction
I bought this book on the recommendation of a colleague who teaches development economics and uses the book himself. I am an economist by training, my background is on macroeconomics and international economic relations, and hence there was much that i recognized. One reason I wanted to learn more on development economics is that I am currently involved in work on EU Candidate Countries and economic transition issues.Although these countries are clearly not in the same category as less developed countries (although that phrase has become increasingly meaningless in itself as it covers so many very different countries), I think there could be fruitful cross-fertilization from reading a book on development economics. Certainly there would seem to be a number of issues where the candidate countries share some common ground at least, or where useful lessons could be learned from development economics (institution and capacity building and macroeconomic stabilization, for instance). The discussion on how development economics is different from other disciplines in economics (notably macro-economics) or adds value to it is of course as old as development economics itself.I found this book very useful as a broad and balanced introducion, and even though it sometimes covered familiar ground I think it often did so with a specific slant on LDCs that did add value for me, as did discussion of subjects not usually found in most economics books on social issues such as the role of women.I liked the listings of positive and negative arguments on a number of issues such as what has been achieved incpoverty reduction. I also liked the broad collection of seminal articles that you are unlikely to find elsewhere.

I found the articles and empirical research quoted not always of very recent date, and especially the latter bothered me.In several instances the texts quoted empirical findings from studies dating from the 70s or so. I do not find that very convincing; have there really been no more recent findings for the last 25 years?Also the lay-out of the text was not always very clear or attractive to the eye, and I think there is definite room for improvement there as well.

That said, this is still excellent value for money, and the book is certainly well worth to read for anybody interested in a good introduction on development economics.

excellent tool for any one interested in development
Meier's book provides an excellent tool for anyone interested inDevelopment Economics. Most, if not all, of the important developmenttheories and issues have been covered in a clear and concise way. Amongstthe contributors, many are notable economists and scholars such as:Chenery, Stiglitz, Bardhan, Nurske, Sen, Lewis, Todaro, Krueger, Ranis,Rosenstein-Rodan, Hirschman- to name but a few. This book has truly beenthe most useful reference tool from my first year to final year as anundergraduate reading development economics.Particularly interesting anduseful chapters include: Dualistic Development(Lewis Model etc.), Debt andAid, Population, Trade Strategy, and an awesome section onIndustrialisation and Technological Progress.

A must buy for students ofDevelopment!

A concise and elegant review of economic development issues
A concise and but detailed review of the most important issues in agricultural development. The text includes new and important perspectives on issues in development. Topics covered include dualistic development,domestic financing of development, external financing of development, humanresourses, industrialisation and agriculture and trade/development. This isan excellent reference book as well as a very interesting read. It isuptodate and enables the reader to quickly grasp the main themes. Alsoincludes comprehensive references for futher reading. Very good value! ... Read more