This wide‐ranging book synthesizes the findings of a major international study of the political economy of poverty, equity, and growth. It is based primarily on specially commissioned analytical economic histories of 21 developing countries from 1950 to 1985, but also takes account of the much wider literature on the subject. It is an ambitious, interdisciplinary attempt to identify patterns in the interplay of initial conditions, institutions, interests, and ideas that can help to explain the different growth and poverty alleviation outcomes in the Third World. Three types of poverty are dist ... More

This wide‐ranging book synthesizes the findings of a major international study of the political economy of poverty, equity, and growth. It is based primarily on specially commissioned analytical economic histories of 21 developing countries from 1950 to 1985, but also takes account of the much wider literature on the subject. It is an ambitious, interdisciplinary attempt to identify patterns in the interplay of initial conditions, institutions, interests, and ideas that can help to explain the different growth and poverty alleviation outcomes in the Third World. Three types of poverty are distinguished, based on their causes, and a more nebulous notion of equity (in contrast to egalitarianism) is shown to have influenced policy. Since growth is found to be the major means of alleviating mass structural poverty, much of the book is concerned with probing for explanations for policies that are found to be the most important influences on the proximate causes of growth. Available evidence on the role of direct transfers (public and private) in alleviating destitution and conjunctural poverty is also considered. Clear and innovative frameworks are established for comparative study, and evidence is marshalled to argue for the continuing relevance of the classical liberal viewpoint on public policies for development, and to show why, even so, nationalist ideologies are likely to be adopted and lead to cycles of interventionism and liberalism. The evidence is also used to provide an explanation for the surprising current worldwide Age of Reform. The book is suitable for academics and graduate students of development economics and international development policies, and all those involved in fashioning, influencing, and implementing policies for growth and poverty alleviation in the Third World.