Recent studies have found evidence linking Africa’s current underdevelopment to colonial rule and the slave trade. Given that these events ended long ago, why do they continue to matter today? I develop a model, exhibiting path dependence, that explains how these past events could have lasting...

This paper examines the changing pattern of technological specialization of the four small, newly industrializing economies (NIEs) from East Asia as they move up the economic development ladder. In addition, the paper also investigates whether there is convergence or divergence between these...

The rural non-farm economy (RNFE) may be defined as comprising all those activities associated with waged work or self-employment in income generating activities (including income in-kind) that are not agricultural but which generate income (including remittances etc.) rural areas. In some...

This paper investigates how the distribution of land property rights affects industrial take-off and aggregate income through the demand side. We study a stylized two sectors economy where the manufacturing sector is assumed to be constituted by a continuum of small markets producing distinct...

Bonding policies are often used by modern economies to expand their markets and welfare. Several labor bonding institutions are described with the goal of providing an explanation for their success or failure in various countries.

From Decentralisation of Planning to Peoples Planning - Experiences of the Indian States of Kerala and West Bengal by Charvak, 2000: The Discussion Paper attempts a comparison of the process of decentralisation of planning in the two States that have made significant progress in this area. The...

In order for Jamaica to transition from a Developing Country to a Developed Country it will be highly necessary to create a Knowledge based society, the inability to seriously overcome this challenge will mean Jamaica will be in transition to a developed country for an infinite number of years....

This study assesses the impact across states of for-export, mostly foreign-owned manufacturing plants (commonly known as 'maquiladoras') on various measures of standard of living in Mexico, namely literacy rate, school attendance rates, housing characteristics, life expectancy, infant mortality,...

The ability to see past and present simultaneously must be of prime importance in any development scenario. This speaks to the essence of the Janus Development Strategy, whose philosophy is outlined below. .......................Janus was represented with two faces, originally one face was...

This is a brief and largely descriptive summary of migration flows in and out of Lesotho, and trends therein over tha last forty years. It includes some explanatory discussion and some speculation about likely future trends.