The elusive quest for growth: economists’ adventures and misadventures in the tropics

Since The End Of World War Ii, Economists Have Tried To Figure Out How Poor Countries In The Tropics Could Attain Standards Of Living Approaching Those Of Countries In Europe And North America. Attempted Remedies Have Included Providing Foreign Aid, Investing In Machines, Fostering Education, Controlling Population Growth, And Making Aid Loans As Well As Forgiving Those Loans On Condition Of Institutional Reforms. In This Book Easterly Shows How These Solutions All Violate The Basic Principle Of Economics, That People – Private Individuals And Businesses, Government Officials, Even Aid Donors – Respond To Incentives. Easterly First Discusses The Importance Of Growth. He Then Analyzes The Development Solutions That Have Failed. Finally, He Suggests Alternative Approaches To The Problem. Written In An Accessible, At Times Irreverent, Style, Easterly’s Book Combines Modern Growth Theory With Anecdotes From His Fieldwork For The World Bank.–jacket. Why Growth Matters. To Help The Poor — Intermezzo: In Search Of A River — Panaceas That Failed. — Aid For Investment — Intermezzo: Parmila — Solow’s Surprise: Investment Is Not The Key To Growth — Intermezzo: Dry Cornstalks — Educated For What? — Intermezzo: Without A Refuge — Cash For Condoms? 87 — Intermezzo: Tomb Paintings –the Loans That Were, The Growth That Wasn’t — Intermezzo: Leila’s Story — Forgive Us Our Debts — Intermezzo: Cardboard House — People Respond To Incentives. Tales Of Increasing Returns: Leaks, Matches, And Traps — Intermezzo: War And Memory — Creative Destruction: The Power Of Technology — Intermezzo: Accident In Jamaica — Under An Evil Star — Intermezzo: Favela Life — Governments Can Kill Growth — Intermezzo: Florence And Veronica — Corruption And Growth — Intermezzo: Discrimination In Palanpur — Polarized Peoples — Intermezzo: Violent For Centuries — Conclusion: The View From Lahore — Notes — References And Further Reading — Index. William Easterly. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [313]-333) And Index.