Political Economy of Development

Catalog description

It is widely accepted that development is not simply an economic phenomenon. Political processes are intimately tied to economic development. Consider the following questions. Does the nature of the political system affect development? Does democracy slow down economic development? Does authoritarianism promote it? What is the relationship between democracy and markets? Are there inherent tensions between the two? Why is globalization facing huge roadblocks now? Are these troubles purely, or primarily, economic? Consider some comparative questions now. Why have some countries industrialized faster than others? Why do some countries do better at poverty alleviation than others? Are there different paths to agrarian and industrial development? Since the Second World War, an enormous amount of intellectual effort has gone into understanding these issues. We will compare and contrast development experiences around the themes identified above.