Movements of relative agricultural prices in sub-Saharan Africa

Movements of relative agricultural prices in 20 countries insub-Saharan Africa between 1973 and 1999-95 are investigated.Changes in the net barter terms of trade of the agriculturalsector are compared with international terms of trade movements.Movements in prices received by cocoa, coffee, cotton and teafarmers are compared with unit export prices and with indicatorsof production costs. World price movements for the same commoditiesare compared with unit export prices of major exporting countries.A similar analysis is undertaken for cereals, where producerprices are compared with unit import prices and with cost indicators.Possible factors which affect these relative price movementsare discussed with special emphasis on the role of alternativepolicy regimes. Empirical findings suggest that conventionalviews on the anti-farmer bias of African policies till the 1980sare questionable and the recent liberalisation of agriculturalmarkets in Africa have not generated farmer-friendly outcomes.     

Financing enterprise development in sub-Saharan Africa

This paper examines some critical gaps in the financial infrastructurein sub-Saharan Africa, which have contributed to the poor performanceof productive investment by private agents. It first analysesthe performance of financial systems, encompassing both formaland informal financial sectors, in relation to the changingpolicy environment, and key features of the financial marketstructure. It then identifies those gaps in financial servicesthat have been particularly detrimental to private investment,enterprise growth and transformation. Finally, the paper considerspolicy implications drawn from East Asian experiences with respectto financial policies, institutional arrangements and marketintegration measures for financing enterprise development.     

Infrastructural change and secular economic development

Long-term economic development is determined by changes to the infrastructure, especially material and non-material infrastructural networks that link agents in different locations. The infrastructure consists of the slowly changing, collective arena that supports production, exchange, and consumption, such as the built environment, transport networks, and institutions. In the short run the infrastructure can be regarded as fixed. Changes to the infrastructure are under normal conditions small enough to be disregarded by producers and consumers. With the creation of a critical link of a network, there will however be a revolutionary restructuring of the arena. Critical links are here defined as additions to infrastructural networks that create opportunities for new information and transport flows between previously unconnected regions. Such a revolutionary restructuring of infrastructural networks has been called a logistical revolution. Certain institutional pre-conditions are necessary for a logistical revolution, while the creation of a critical link is both a necessary and a sufficient condition. This paper discusses the three logistical revolutions that occurred in the 13th century, around 1600, and in the 19th century, which each had crucial similarities with the current “information revolution.”     

The long term impact of economic development in developed countries on developing countries since 1820

The linkages between the economic development of developed and developing countries are analyzed historically. The analysis is divided into epochs, distinguished by global trade regimes and by common characteristics of long term economic growth. The break throughs in long distance transport technology which occured during the industrial revolution created a global economy in which the rythm of economic activity in developing economies became linked to that of developed economies. The major transmission mechanisms were international trade, international migration and international capital flows. Exports were the main engine of growth in developing countries. But the effects of export expansion varied across countries. The speed of transmission of the industrial revolution to developing countries depended on their institutional readiness; countries with most developed capitalist institutions in factor markets were the first to develop. The extent of diffusion of the benefits of growth from export expansion within developing countries also depended on the nature of their institutions, both economic and political. Finally, policies with respect to international trade, investment and agriculture were also critical to the speed and diffusion of economic development.The research underlying this paper is the result of a twentyfive year collaboration with Professor Cynthia Taft Morris. She is indebted to the World Bank for financing the research in this paper as part of the background studies for the World Development Report 1991. She is also indebted to Sherman Robinson for his comments.     

Frontiers and sustainable economic development

Exploiting new resource “frontiers,” such as agricultural land and mineral reserves, is a fundamental feature of economic development in poor economies. Yet frontier-based development is symptomatic of a pattern of economy-wide resource exploitation in developing economies that: (a) generates little additional economic rents, and (b) what rents are generated are not being reinvested in other sectors. Such development is inherently unsustainable. The following paper explains this phenomenon, and provides evidence that long-run expansion of agricultural land and oil and natural gas proved reserves across poor economies is associated with lower levels of real income per capita. The paper proposes a frontier expansion hypothesis to explain why the structural economic dependence of these economies on frontier land expansion and resource exploitation is not conducive to sustained long-run growth. The key to sustainable economic development in poor economies will be improving the economic integration between frontier and other sectors of the economy, targeting policies to improved resource management in frontier areas and overcoming problems of corruption and rent-seeking in resource sectors.      

Educational choice, endogenous inequality and economic development

This paper investigates the mechanics through which wealth may, in the long run, trickle down from the rich to the poor. In the presence of indivisibilities in investment of human capital and impossibility of borrowing money, investment in education is financed through an intergenerational transfer. In an OLG model where aggregate production requires capital and both skilled and unskilled labor, it is shown that the long run equilibrium outcome depends on the values of few key parameters. A complete characterization of the steady state is provided. Under some configurations of the parameter values a unique invariant equilibrium exists where inequality vanishes asymptotically. Under others, multiple equilibria exist and the equilibrium outcome crucially depends on the initial conditions of the system. These equilibria are characterized by a negative relationship between inequality and economic development.     

Regional development and national identity in sub-Saharan Africa

We study how regional development affects identification with the nation state using a sample of 192 African regions in 16 countries. We measure national identification with survey data from the fourth wave of the Afrobarometer and proxy regional development with night lights data. To account for the endogeneity of regional development, we employ an instrumental variables approach and use a proxy for mineral resource wealth as our main instrument. Our results show that inhabitants of more prosperous regions are more likely to identify with their nation rather than their ethnic group. Regarding transmission channels, we find suggestive evidence consistent with the interpretation that national identification is higher in richer regions because of different cultural beliefs and a lower reliance on traditional ethnic networks. Overall, our research implies that African governments can foster national identification by ensuring that all parts of a country participate equitably in economic development.     

Real exchange rate levels and economic development: theoretical analysis and econometric evidence

According to the development approach to exchange rates, competitivecurrencies have been a key factor in most East and SoutheastAsian successful growth strategies. There is also today an importantempirical literature that relates overvaluations to low percapita growth rates. While the econometric literature on thisissue is relatively rich, theoretical analysis of channels throughwhich real exchange rate levels could affect economic developmentare very scarce. This paper intends to contribute to the debateby bringing more theoretical elements and providing new econometricevidence to the connections between real exchange rate levelsand development.     

The role of the financial sector in economic development: the Malaysian case

In this paper, we empirically examine the finance-economic development relations for the case of Malaysia. Using a battery of time series econometric techniques, we document robust evidence suggesting favorable output effects of financial market development. Likewise, there are consistent results showing the adverse real effects of financial volatility. The results of the development of financial intermediaries, however, are fragile. Moreover, the development of the financial markets hinges crucially on macro-economic performance and financial stability of the country. However, the process of financial market development is likely to be accompanied by financial volatility, leaving Malaysia with the trade-off between financial development and financial volatility. Lastly, we obtain limited evidence indicating the complementarity between financial market and banking sector developments.

后危机时代的亚洲经济改革与发展——第四届亚洲经济合作与创新论坛综述

在＂后危机时代的改革与发展研讨会暨第四届亚洲经济合作与创新论坛＂上,国内外近百位专家学者深入探讨了此次全球金融危机的原因、危机对经济金融理论发展的影响、后危机时代的亚洲经济合作与创新、环境保护与经济增长等理论和实践问题。     

利润最大化原则与经济可持续发展——一个经济学悖论

利润最大化原则与经济可持续发展目标是相背离的,主要表现在以下四个方面：第一,利润最大化原则导致弱成本约束,成本约束服从并服务于利润最大化目标,其有身只具有工具价值。第二、利润最大化原则引致四种类型的经济扩张,即规模经济扩张、范围经济扩张、地域经济扩张以及经济帝国主义。第三,利润最大化原则纵容个体非理性,致使整个社会普遍漠视或回避社会整体理性的缺失,第四,利润最大化原则侵蚀全球整体主义价值观,妨碍人类在处理与应对全球危机时进行真诚的合作。     

我国绿色农产业与世界农业同步

世界农业正在形成以生产和消费有机食品、形成农产品贸易中的“绿色壁垒”、开发绿色农业技术和开展农产品绿色营销为主的绿色浪潮,它比生态农业建设、生态环境保护的内涵要丰富得多。我国虽有发展绿色农产业的一定条件和基础,但在以发达国家为主导的世界农业绿色浪潮下,我国农业更多地是面临着冲击和挑战,为此,必须采取切实措实,发展我国绿色农产业,提高我国农产品的国际市场竞争力。     

中国经济发展进入新阶段:挑战与战略

中国经济正处于一个重要的转折时期 ,国际经验表明 ,在这个时期继续保持较快增长的难度加大。中国面临一些发展中国家共有的条件和问题 ,也面临独有的挑战与机遇。要保持我国经济继续较快增长 ,就要立足国情 ,立足当代 ,选择正确的发展战略 ,包括坚持继续深化改革 ,消除增长的体制障碍 ;更加注重就业问题 ,保证经济增长的共享性和社会稳定 ;促进形成资源节约型增长方式 ,使经济增长可持续 ;更加注重扩大内需 ,降低开放性增长动力减弱的影响 ;加快发展服务业 ,提高服务业对增长和就业的贡献率 ;加大对重大战略问题的科技投入 ,解决我国经济增长面临的技术瓶颈 ;更多关注公平和稳定问题 ,减少发展的阻力和摩擦 ;维护并积极推动全球资源、技术与产品的自由贸易体制 ,为我国中长期经济发展争取较好的外部环境。     

中国与东南亚农业合作展望

中国与东南亚发展农业合作潜力巨大,中国与东南亚的农业合作已处于起步阶段,并取得了一定的成绩,但仍存在一些问题,中国与东南亚的农业合作有待于进一步发展,加强双边的农业合作可以通过加强制度合作,最大程度利用现有资源来进行.     

论我国西部油气资源地经济发展战略的选择

西部地区是我国重要的油气资源地,发展资源导向型产业既符合比较优势原则要求,又能够充分利用油气资源产业强有力的产业关联效应。但我国西部各省经济发展在不同程度上存在“资源诅咒”的现象。文章认为,造成这种现象的原因在于目前我国油气资源开发没有承担起资源地经济发展的责任,而不在于资源导向型发展战略,我国西部地区应该坚持资源导向型发展战略。     

云南省七条经济走廊发展现状分析

从整体上说,云南省中心地带经济发展以昆明市和安宁市为主,而云南省其他地区没有出现能明显带动周边经济发展的县市。云南省七条经济走廊所经过的县市,是云南省经济发展的重要地区,GDP、人均GDP、GDP增长率都高于云南省平均水平,但与其他县市相比,其发展差距维持在相对稳定的状态下。云南省要形成七条经济走廊带动云南省经济发展的局面,凸显七条经济走廊的发展优势,需要政策的大力扶持,以及对沿线产业的布局进行进一步研究规划。     

Explaining the nonlinear effects of financial development on economic growth

Using different indicators of financial development, recent empirical studies have discovered various patterns of nonlinearity in the relationship between financial development and economic growth. By adding consumption loans, which are nonproductive, into a standard model of asymmetric information, this paper generates a model that is able to replicate all possible nonlinear finance–growth relationships found in recent empirical studies.      

Ecological economic benefit in sustainable development

From the concept of ecological economic benefit, I put forward the general formula for the benefit of ecological economy and the appraisal methods of the ecological economy. Theory on ecological benefit and economic benefit is the base of the benefits of ecological economy To some extent the development of ecological economy, theory and practice on eco-agriculture are both the production made from opposition and unify of ecological benefit and economic benefit. This paper discusses the ＂T＂ type saucture, which will give the theoretical bases for enhancing the ecological and economical benefits.     

河南有机创意农业存在问题与发展对策

有机创意农业发展是有机农业和创意农业的新结合,是我国传统文化天人合一完美链接。文章分析了河南省有机创意农业发展中存在的主要问题以及发展有机创意农业具有区位、市场、资金和人才等优势,研究了河南省发展有机创意农业的必要性和可行性。最后,针对河南省有机创意农业存在的问题提出了政策建议。