Industrial Policy and Economic Transformation in Africa (Initiative for Policy Dialogue at Columbia: Challenges in Development and Globalization)

This text explores the vital role that industrial policies can play in bringing about a transformation of African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology and agriculture. More accurately understood as a package of learning, industrial and technology (LIT) policies, they aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa.--Résumé de l'éditeur. Akbar Noman teaches at Columbia University, where he is a senior fellow at the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD), cochair of its Africa Task Force, and adjunct associate professor at the School of International and Public Affairs. He has also worked at Oxford University, the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, a number of international organizations, including the World Bank, and at senior levels in government. Joseph E. Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University, former chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank, and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton. His books include Making Globalization Work; Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy; The Price of Inequality: How Today’s Divided Society Endangers Our Future; Fair Trade for All (with Andrew Charlton), and Creating a Learning Society: A New Approach to Growth, Development, and Social Progress (with Bruce C. Greenwald). In 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics. BUS068000,Business & Economics/Development/Economic Development,POL053000,Political Science/World/African Since the end of the Cold War, the assumption among most political theorists has been that as nations develop economically, they will also become more democratic—especially if a vibrant middle class takes root. This assumption underlies the expansion of the European Union and much of American foreign policy, bolstered by such examples as South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and even to some extent Russia. Where democratization has failed or retreated, aberrant conditions take the blame: Islamism, authoritarian Chinese influence, or perhaps the rise of local autocrats. But what if the failures of democracy are not exceptions? In this thought-provoking study of democratization, Joshua Kurlantzick proposes that the spate of retreating democracies, one after another over the past two decades, is not just a series of exceptions. Instead, it reflects a new and disturbing trend: democracy in worldwide decline. The author investigates the state of democracy in a variety of countries, why the middle class has turned against democracy in some cases, and whether the decline in global democratization is reversible. The revival of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is all the more welcome for having followed one of the worst economic disasters--a quarter century of economic malaise for most of the region--since the industrial revolution. Six of the world's fastest-growing economies in the first decade of this century were African. Yet only in Ethiopia and Rwanda was growth not based on resources and the rising price of oil. Deindustrialization has yet to be reversed, and progress toward creating a modern economy remains limited. This book explores the vital role that active government policies can play in transforming African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology, and agriculture. These packages of learning, industrial, and technology (LIT) policies aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa.-- Provided by publisher The revival of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is all the more welcome for having followed one of the worst economic disastersa quarter century of economic malaise for most of the regionsince the industrial revolution. Six of the world's fastest-growing economies in the first decade of this century were African. Yet only in Ethiopia and Rwanda was growth not based on resources and the rising price of oil. Deindustrialization has yet to be reversed, and progress toward creating a modern economy remains limited. This book explores the vital role that active government policies can play in transforming African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology, and agriculture. These packages of learning, industrial, and technology (LIT) policies aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa. -- Amazon.com The revival of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is all the more welcome for having followed one of the worst economic disasters since the industrial revolution. Six of the world's fastest growing economies in the 2000s were African. But with the exception of Ethiopia and Rwanda, the growth of these African nations was largely fueled by discoveries and the rising price of oil. Deindustrialization has yet to be reversed and structural transformation remains limited. This book explores the vital role that industrial policies can play in bringing about a transformation of African economies. Such policies pertain not just to industry. They traverse all economic sectors, including finance, information technology, and agriculture. More accurately understood as a package of learning, industrial, and technology (LIT) policies, they aim to bring vigorous and lasting growth to the region. This collection features case studies of LIT policies in action in many parts of the world, examining their risks and rewards and what they mean for Sub-Saharan Africa Kurlantzick Proposes That The Spate Of Retreating Democracies, One After Another Over The Past Two Decades, Reflects A New And Disturbing Trend: Democracy In Worldwide Decline. Democracy Goes Into Reverse -- How We Got Here -- The Fourth Wave -- It's The Economy, Stupid : The Consensus Fails -- The Middle Class Revolts -- Graft, Graft, And More Graft -- The China Model -- The Autocrats Strike Back -- Failure Of The Emerging Powers -- Failure Of The West -- Prescriptions For The Future -- Appendix: Egypt. Joshua Kurlantzick. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This thought-provoking book addresses a set of new and disturbing trends: democracies around the world are losing ground, middle-class support of democracy has waned, and autocracies are on the rise. Book jacket