Synopses & Reviews
The Political Economy of Africa addresses the real possibilities for African development in the coming decades when seen in the light of the continent 's economic performance over the last half-century. This involves an effort to emancipate our thinking from the grip of western economic models that have often ignored Africa 's diversity in their rush to peddle simple nostrums of dubious merit.
The book addresses the seemingly intractable economic problems of the African continent, and traces their origins. It also brings out the instances of successful economic change, and the possibilities for economic revival and renewal. As well as surveying the variety of contemporary situations, the text will provide readers with a firm grasp of the historical background to the topic. It explores issues such as:
- employment and poverty
- social policy and security
- structural adjustment programs and neo-liberal globalization
- majority rule and democratization
- taxation and resource mobilization.
It contains a selection of country specific case studies from a range of international contributors, many of whom have lived and worked in Africa. The book will be of particular interest to higher level students in political economy, development studies, area studies (Africa) and economics in general.
Synopsis
The Political Economy of Africa aims to fill a major gap in the existing literature by exploring the economy and economics of Africa. The book will adopt a critical approach from a perspective of political economy rather than mainstream economics and the aim is to address the seemingly intractable economic problems of the African continent, and trace their origins, but also always to bring out the instances of successful economic change, and the possibilities for economic revival and renewal.
Synopsis
The Political Economy of Africa aims to fill a major gap in the existing literature by exploring the economy and economics of Africa in the context of:
- the ongoing search for a truer economic democracy
- the consequences of structural adjustment programs and of neo-liberal globalization generally
- the mixed results of majority rule and democratization and their implications for economic development.
The book will adopt a critical approach from a perspective of political economy rather than mainstream economics: it will be contemporary and up-to-date, but most chapters will bring a historical perspective to their topic
The aim is to address the seemingly intractable economic problems of the African continent, and trace their origins, but also always to bring out the instances of successful economic change, and the possibilities for economic revival and renewal.