Why economists' attempts to help poorer countries improve their economic well-being have failed. Since the end of World War II, economists have tried to figure out how poor countries in the tropics could attain standards of living approaching those of countries in Europe and North America. Attempted remedies have included providing foreign aid, investing in machines, fostering education, controlling population growth, and making aid loans as well as forgiving those loans on condition of reforms. None of these solutions has delivered as promised. The problem is not the failure of economics, William Easterly argues, but the failure to apply economic principles to practical policy work. In this book Easterly shows how these solutions all violate the basic principle of economics, that people—private individuals and businesses, government officials, even aid donors—respond to incentives. Easterly first discusses the importance of growth. He then analyzes the development solutions that have failed. Finally, he suggests alternative approaches to the problem. Written in an accessible, at times irreverent, style, Easterly's book combines modern growth theory with anecdotes from his fieldwork for the World Bank.

Le présent document examine les réformes macroéconomiques que Djibouti doit opérer en vue de devenir un pays à revenu intermédiaire comme prévu dans la stratégie de développement des autorités, Vision Djibouti 2035. Il passe en revue les options dont disposent les autorités dans trois domaines de réforme essentiels : traduire l’essor de l’investissement en une croissance vigoureuse et inclusive pour réduire la pauvreté et le chômage ; mener une politique budgétaire propice à la croissance tout en préservant la viabilité de la dette, et le rôle important du climat des affaires dans l’accélération de la croissance.

This paper assesses how pro-poor and inclusive Asia’s recent growth has been, and what factors have been driving these outcomes. It finds that while poverty has fallen across the region over the last two decades, inequality has increased, dampening the impact of growth on poverty reduction. As a result, relative to other emerging and developing regions and to Asia’s own past, the recent period of growth has been both less inclusive and less pro-poor. Our analysis suggests a number of policies that could help redress these trends and broaden the benefits of growth in Asia. These include fiscal policies to increase spending on health, education, and social safetynets; labor market reforms to boost the labor share of total income; and reforms to make financial systems more inclusive.

This book offers a selection of intensely researched essays focused on the critical planning objectives and policy priorities that would enhance the promotion of inclusive growth in a developing country. It has taken Bangladesh as the case study. It argues for rethinking of traditional policies and provides arguments and ways to reorient these toward inclusive growth and better social inclusion. These involve a dedicated focus on employment and inclusion in the design of monetary and fiscal policies, trade and industrial policies, policies toward rural non-farm employment, social protection and safety net strategy and the nature of institutional and governance reforms which are imperative for ensuring inclusive growth. The studies included in the book were prepared before or at the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding economic crisis; yet they provide cursory observations on its likely impact, and underscore how the stated principles and policies of an inclusive growth strategy have become even more significant in the present situation. Bangladesh has been growing respectably during the past decade and a half and has arguably shown strong progress in several social indicators. However, inequality and vulnerability are rising alarmingly, and the economy is beset with high levels of corruption, as well as with various other governance deficits that can adversely affect future growth and social inclusion. The book provides a critical assessment of how far growth in Bangladesh has been inclusive, both over time, and in comparison to selected South and Southeast Asian countries. It constructs a specific ‘inclusive growth index’ with reference to what the study considers as the significant goals and pillars of inclusive growth. Bangladesh is not the only developing country that is faced with the arduous task of tackling unbalanced economic growth and of implementing the 2030 Agenda. Rising vulnerability, inequality, disappointing job growth and poor governance are also major challenges to inclusive growth for many countries in the Global South. Therefore, the appeal of this book extends well beyond the borders of Bangladesh and the South Asian region. Corresponding to SDG 8, the book is aimed at academia, researchers, policymakers, civil society leaders as well as other national and international development practitioners with an avid interest in issues concerning growth with equity, and in sync with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In addition, the book is a valuable resource for interested students of disciplines related to economics and development policy.

The volume analyses major strategic and policy issues. How to make Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies relevant for inclusive growth strategies in Africa so that socio-economic transformation strategies will take off. The first part discusses the issues of human skills development as part of STI policies, based on visions, strategic plans and country cases (for Cameroon, Nigeria and Mauritania). The second part looks at STI Policies for Economic Transformation, focussing on country case studies (for Egypt and Tunisia). A third part presents book reviews and book notes.

The paper reviews Djibouti’s macroeconomic reforms aimed at achieving middle-income status as envisaged in Vision Djibouti 2035, the authorities’ development strategy. In this context, the paper reviews policy options available to the authorities in three critical reform areas: translating the investment boom into strong and inclusive growth to reduce poverty and unemployment; fiscal policy to support growth while preserving debt sustainability; and the important role of the business climate in growth acceleration.

The book provides a comprehensive conceptual understanding covering major challenges and pathways to progressively promote inclusive development in Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth and social progress, but the benefits have not been shared equitably across all groups in society, and there is the demand that inclusive development should be at the core of the country’s development agenda. Analysing inclusive development in Bangladesh, the authors present it as synonymous with improving the well-being of all individuals in a comprehensive manner along with upholding the principles of equity and justice. The book shows that the multidimensionality of inclusive development facilitates the participation of all in society in development through enhancing capabilities and ensuring equal opportunities. The analysis highlights social investments in specific concerns of the marginalised and disadvantaged groups and unequal structural forces that compel the state to remain biased towards the rich and consequent ‘elite capture’ of the state in Bangladesh. Arguing that Bangladesh has moved closer towards applying the inclusive development tenets in policy making, the book’s findings show that the challenge is the absence of any generic formula to ensure that the country is moving towards a more inclusive development path. A valuable contribution to the study of Bangladesh’s changing dynamics of political, economic and social configurations and development economics, the book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of economics, Asian studies and development studies.