An African Growth Miracle?. Journal of African Economies Advance Access. 2016.
AbstractSSA has grown rapidly over the last decade, but a curious feature of this growth was that it was accompanied by little structural change towards non-traditional tradables (such as manufactures). Now that China, the advanced economies, and most emerging markets are all slowing down, the question whether Africa’s high growth can be sustained looms larger. This article looks at this question from the lens of modern growth theory, paying particular attention to structural issues that are crucial for low-income countries. It comes down on the pessimistic side, due to what appear to be poor prospects for industrialization. This article also considers alternative models of growth, based on services instead of manufactures.
PDFRevised version of the paper written for the Center for Global Development, Richard H. Sabot Lecture, on April 24, 2014.
Rebel with a Cause. Finance & Development, IMF. 2016.
PDF Is Liberal Democracy Feasible in Developing Countries?. Studies in Comparative International Development. 2016.
AbstractLiberal democracy has been difficult to institute and sustain in developing countries. This has to do both with ideational factors—the absence of a liberal tradition prior to electoral mobilization—and structural conditions—the prevalence of mass mobilization along identity rather than class cleavages. This paper considers the conditions under which liberal democracy emerges and speculates about its future in developing countries.
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