The economic effects of windfall gains in export earnings, 1975–1978

This paper reviews the effects of recent dramatic increases in beverage prices (1975–1978) on a sample of countries that are highly dependent on these commodities. In most countries, the increase in producer prices was restricted, allowing substantial sums to accrue to the Central Government and the commodity organizations. The countercyclical impact of fiscal policy was often limited by the rise in development spending. This policy stance and the lack of monetary restraint contributed to a substantial rise in imports. Consequently, in many of the sample countries, the external reserve position in 1978 was little better than before the windfall gain.     

Make giving meaningful: key to development success. Interview by Larry Kofsky

Starting virtually from scratch in 1975, Berkshire Medical Center has built a fund raising success story. Its multi-faceted development program centers around the philosophy that donors must feel their gifts have purpose and are appreciated.     

Regulating Financial Services: How Severe are the Dangers?

The Financial Services Act has been variously criticised for obstructing competition and increasing operating costs for the producers of financial services in Britain. Robert R. Davis, Commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in Washington DC, argues that there are 'public-goods' considerations to justify the imposition of the Act, and that its internal guarantees will check the growth of regulation. Len Ross, Principal Lecturer in Economics at the Polytechnic of Central London, maintains his earlier charge that the Act will do immense damage to British trade in financial services.     

Nicaragua's Buen Vivir: a strategy for tourism development?

ABSTRACT

Although often framed as an emerging anthropocenic socio-ecological imaginary, the Latin American paradigm of Buen Vivir has provided a broad base of support for tourism development in the region. This article focuses on Nicaragua's Buen Vivir, a national development campaign entitled “Live Clean, Live Healthy, Live Beautiful, Live Well” (called Vivir Bonito, Vivir Bien) The campaign was launched in 2013 as a multi-pronged approach to integrated development in distinct areas including employment, public health, waste management, education, urban aesthetics and national pride. However, it has also had the effect of opening up opportunities for tourism development not only in the capital city of Managua but also alongside other mega-projects such as the planned interoceanic canal. This article draws upon the example of Vivir Bonito, Vivir Bien to illustrate the variety of tourism development strategies currently emerging at the intersection of a left-turn toward Socialism of the 21st Century and Buen Vivir in Latin America, on the one hand, and a post-neoliberal context in which political economic projects of the past continue to leave their mark.