Why are some countries richer than others? Why do some economies grow so much faster than others do? Do economies tend to converge to similar levels of per capita income? Or is catching up simply impossible? If modern technology has shown the potential to raise living standards to first-world levels, why is it that the vast majority of the world's population lives in poverty in underdeveloped countries? These questions have been at the heart of development economics since its inception several decades ago and are now at the center of the research agenda of the modern economics of growth....

Lance Taylor is considered to be one of the pre-eminent development economists in the world, and is known for his work on development planning, macroeconomics of development, stabilization policy and the global economy. He has also been the major force behind structuralist economics, which is seen by many to be a major alternative to orthodox development economics and policy prescriptions. The essays in this volume make contributions to each of these areas while honouring the contributions made by Taylor. Professional economists, researchers and policy makers interested in development...

Latin America has been central to the main debates on development economics, ranging from the relationships between income inequality and economic growth, and the importance of geography versus institutions in development, to debates on the effects of trade, trade openness and protection on growth and income distribution. Despite increasing interest in the region there are few English language books on Latin American economics. This Handbook, organized into five parts, aims to fill this significant gap.
Part I looks at long-term issues, including the institutional roots of Latin America's...