Africa: Why Economists Get It Wrong'A valuable corrective to the fraying narrative of [African] failure.' Foreign Affairs Not so long ago, Africa was being described as the hopeless continent. Recently, though, talk has turned to Africa rising, with enthusiastic voices exclaiming the potential for economic growth across many of its countries. What, then, is the truth behind Africa's growth, or lack of it? In this provocative book, Morten Jerven fundamentally reframes the debate, challenging mainstream accounts of African economic history. Whilst for the past two decades experts have focused on explaining why there has been a 'chronic failure of growth' in Africa, Jerven shows that most African economies have been growing at a rapid pace since the mid nineties. In addition, African economies grew rapidly in the fifties, the sixties, and even into the seventies. Thus, African states were dismissed as incapable of development based largely on observations made during the 1980s and early 1990s. The result has been misguided analysis, and few practical lessons learned. This is an essential account of the real impact economic growth has had on Africa, and what it means for the continent's future. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Misunderstanding Economic Growth in Africa | 12 |
Trapped in History? | 45 |
African Growth Recurring | 74 |
Africas Statistical Tragedy? | 103 |
Conclusion | 124 |
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Common terms and phrases
According accounts Acemoglu African economies African growth agricultural argued argument Austin average called Cambridge causal cause Collier colonial compared correlation countries datasets decades dependency economic development economic growth economic history economists effect estimates ethnic evidence example explain exports external fact factors failed failure GDP per capita Ghana governance growing growth in Africa growth literature growth rates important income increase indices institutions International investment Jerven Journal Kenya labor lack land less levels literature markets matters means measure ment noted numbers observations particular past percent performance period political poor population poverty presented problem production question recent region regression relative result Review revision sector shows slave slow growth social sources South statistical structural sub-Saharan Africa survey sustained Table Tanzania tions trade University Press variables World Bank