This essay examines the role that expectations play in economic development and the efficacy of international development assistance programs. Because specialists within the development community tend to hold and perpetuate naively optimistic expectations about their programs, they fail to...

This paper empirically analyzes the net effect of trade openness on ‘economic culture,' measured by indicators of trust, respect, level of self-determination, and obedience. Openness to international trade means that societies are more likely to be exposed to alternative attitudes, beliefs,...

This paper explores the role of media in economic development. In particular, we seek to outline the conditions under which the media contributes to the successful adoption of policies aimed at economic progress. Our core thesis is that successful economic development requires the coordination...

What factors and processes influence the wealth of nations? This is the central question addressed by North, Wallis, and Weingast (NWW) (2009) in their framework for quot;interpreting recorded human history.quot; This essay emphasizes that the implications of NWW's analysis provide the...

This paper explores the role of media in economic development. In particular, we seek to outline the conditions under which the media contributes to the successful adoption of policies aimed at economic progress. Our core thesis is that successful economic development requires the coordination...