Development economics in action : a study of economic policies in Ghana

544 Pages·2010·3.335 MB·English

by  Tony Killick

Development Economics in Action
A long-awaited new edition of a renowned study of policies in Ghana,
one of Africa’s most closely watched economies. First published in
1978, Development Economics in Action was recognized as a classic
study, widely used as a teaching text. Originally one of the first detailed
political-economy studies of an African country, this edition brings the
analysis up to date, with a wealth of new material covering 1972–2008,
when Ghana’s economy first imploded, then gradually recovered. Sub-
stantial new chapters describe and analyse the underlying causes and
the forces for change in the economy, relating Ghana’s story to the
evolution of thinking within development economics.
The original study, reproduced here, covered 1960–72 and concen-
trated on the final five years of Kwame Nkrumah’s rule, with a detailed
analysis of his state-led development strategy. In this new edition three
additional chapters provide a detailed account of the descent of the
economy into chaos in 1975 to 1982, resulting from extreme and corrupt
mismanagement. They then trace its recovery following adoption of a
reform programme, through to Ghana’s present-day status as one of
Africa’s most successful democratic states. Patterns of change are related
to the literature on relationships between economic structure and devel-
opment. The forces for and against change are examined, stressing inter-

actions between the country’s economic record and its political system.
Professor Killick argues that it is necessary to go beyond economics
to understand Ghana’s economic record. He concludes that aid and
other external determinants have been less important influences on per-
formance than domestic causes. This book will be of interest to both
undergraduates and postgraduates studying development economics, in
particular those focussing on Africa and Ghana.
Tony Killick is Senior Research Associate of the Overseas Development
Institute, London, and consultant on development policy issues. In
various capacities, he has enjoyed a long association with Ghana.
Routledge Studies in Development Economics
1 Economic Development in the 6 Financial Development and
Middle East Economic Growth
Rodney Wilson Theory and experiences from
developing countries
2 Monetary and Financial Policies Edited by Niels Hermes and
in Developing Countries Robert Lensink
Growth and stabilization
Akhtar Hossain and 7 The South African Economy
Anis Chowdhury Macroeconomic prospects for
the medium term
3 New Directions in Development Finn Tarp and Peter Brixen
Economics
Growth, environmental concerns 8 Public Sector Pay and
and government in the 1990s Adjustment
Edited by Mats Lundahl and Lessons from five countries
Benno J. Ndulu Edited by Christopher
Colclough
4 Financial Liberalization and
Investment 9 Europe and Economic Reform in
Kanhaya L. Gupta and Robert Africa
Lensink Structural adjustment and
economic diplomacy
5 Liberalization in the Developing Obed O. Mailafia
World
Institutional and economic 10 Post-apartheid Southern
changes in Latin America, Africa
Africa and Asia Economic challenges and policies
Edited by Alex E. Fernández for the future
Jilberto and André Mommen Edited by Lennart Petersson
11 Financial Integration and 18 State-Owned Enterprises in
Development the Middle East and
Liberalization and reform in North Africa
sub-Saharan Africa Privatization, performance and
Ernest Aryeetey and reform
Machiko Nissanke Edited by Merih Celasun
12 Regionalization and 19 Finance and Competitiveness in
Globalization in the Modern Developing Countries
World Economy Edited by José María Fanelli and
Perspectives on the Third Rohinton Medhora
World and transitional
economies 20 Contemporary Issues in
Edited by Alex E. Fernández Development Economics
Jilberto and André Mommen Edited by B.N. Ghosh
13 The African Economy 21 Mexico Beyond NAFTA
Policy, institutions and the future Edited by Martín Puchet Anyul
Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa and Lionello F. Punzo
14 Recovery from Armed Conflict 22 Economies in Transition
in Developing Countries A guide to China, Cuba,
Edited by Geoff Harris Mongolia, North Korea
and Vietnam at the turn
15 Small Enterprises and of the twenty-first
Economic Development century
The dynamics of micro and Ian Jeffries
small enterprises
Carl Liedholm and Donald 23 Population, Economic Growth
C. Mead and Agriculture in Less Developed
Countries

16 The World Bank Nadia Cuffaro
New agendas in a changing world
Michelle Miller-Adams 24 From Crisis to Growth in
Africa?
17 Development Policy in the Edited by Mats Lundal
Twenty-First Century
Beyond the post-Washington 25 The Macroeconomics of
consensus Monetary Union
Edited by Ben Fine, An analysis of the CFA franc
Costas Lapavitsas and zone
Jonathan Pincus David Fielding
26 Endogenous Development 34 The Pattern of Aid Giving
Networking, innovation, The impact of good governance
institutions and cities on development assistance
Antonio Vasquez-Barquero Eric Neumayer
27 Labour Relations in 35 New International Poverty
Development Reduction Strategies
Edited by Alex E. Fernández Edited by Jean-Pierre Cling,
Jilberto and Marieke Riethof Mireille Razafindrakoto and
François Roubaud
28 Globalization, Marginalization
and Development 36 Targeting Development
Edited by S. Mansoob Murshed Critical perspectives on the
Millennium Development Goals
29 Programme Aid and Edited by Richard Black and
Development Howard White
Beyond conditionality
Howard White and 37 Essays on Balance of Payments
Geske Dijkstra Constrained Growth
Theory and evidence
30 Competitiveness Strategy in Edited by J.S.L. McCombie and
Developing Countries A.P. Thirlwall
A manual for policy analysis
Edited by Ganeshan Wignaraja 38 The Private Sector After
Communism
31 The African Manufacturing New entrepreneurial firms in
Firm transition economies
An analysis based on firm surveys Jan Winiecki, Vladimir Benacek
in sub-Saharan Africa and Mihaly Laki
Dipak Mazumdar and
Ata Mazaheri 39 Information Technology and

Development
32 Trade Policy, Growth and A new paradigm for delivering the
Poverty in Asian Developing internet to rural areas in
Countries developing countries
Edited by Kishor Sharma Jeffrey James
33 International Competitiveness, 40 The Economics of Palestine
Investment and Finance Economic policy and institutional
A case study of India reform for a viable Palestine state
Edited by A. Ganesh Kumar, Kunal Edited by David Cobham and
Sen and Rajendra R. Vaidya Nu’man Kanafani
41 Development Dilemmas 49 Managing Development
The methods and political ethics Globalization, economic
of growth policy restructuring and social policy
Melvin Ayogu and Don Ross Edited by Junji Nakagawa
42 Rural Livelihoods and Poverty 50 Who Gains from Free Trade?
Reduction Policies Export-led growth, inequality
Edited by Frank Ellis and and poverty in Latin America
H. Ade Freeman Edited by Rob Vos,
Enrique Ganuza, Samuel Morley,
43 Beyond Market-Driven and Sherman Robinson
Development
Drawing on the experience of 51 Evolution of Markets and
Asia and Latin America Institutions
Edited by Makoto Noguchi and A study of an emerging economy
Costas Lapavitsas Murali Patibandla
44 The Political Economy of 52 The New Famines
Reform Failure Why famines exist in an era of
Edited by Mats Lundahl and globalization
Michael L. Wyzan Edited by Stephen Devereux
45 Overcoming Inequality in Latin 53 Development Ethics at
America work
Issues and challenges for the Explorations – 1960–2002
twenty-first century Denis Goulet
Edited by Ricardo Gottschalk and
Patricia Justino 54 Law Reform in Developing and
Transitional States
46 Trade, Growth and Inequality Edited by Tim Lindsey
in the Era of Globalization

Edited by Kishor Sharma and 55 The Asymmetries of
Oliver Morrissey Globalization
Edited by Pan A. Yotopoulos and
47 Microfinance Donato Romano
Perils and prospects
Edited by Jude L. Fernando 56 Ideas, Policies and
Economic Development in the
48 The IMF, World Bank and Americas
Policy Reform Edited by Esteban
Edited by Alberto Paloni and Pérez-Caldentey and
Maurizio Zanardi Matias Vernengo
57 European Union Trade Politics 65 Work, Female Empowerment
and Development and Economic Development
Everything but arms unravelled Sara Horrell, Hazel Johnson and
Edited by Gerrit Faber and Paul Mosley
Jan Orbie
66 The Chronically Poor in Rural
58 Membership Based Bangladesh
Organizations of the Poor Livelihood constraints and
Edited by Martha Chen, capabilities
Renana Jhabvala, Ravi Kanbur Pk. Md. Motiur Rahman,
and Carol Richards Noriatsu Matsui and
Yukio Ikemoto
59 The Politics of Aid Selectivity
Good governance criteria in 67 Public–Private Partnerships in
World Bank, US and Dutch Health Care in India
Development Assistance Lessons for developing countries
Wil Hout A. Venkat Raman and James
Warner Björkman
60 Economic Development,
Education and Transnational 68 Rural Poverty and
Corporations Income Dynamics in Asia and
Mark Hanson Africa
Edited by Keijiro Otsuka,
61 Achieving Economic Jonna P. Estudillo and
Development in the Era of Yasuyuki Sawada
Globalization
Shalendra Sharma 69 Microfinance: A Reader
David Hulme and Thankom Arun
62 Sustainable Development and
Free Trade 70 Aid and International NGOs
Shawkat Alam Dirk-Jan Koch

63 The Impact of International 71 Development Macroeconomics
Debt Relief Essays in memory of Anita
Geske Dijkstra Ghatak
Edited by Subrata Ghatak and
64 Europe’s Troubled Region Paul Levine
Economic development,
institutional reform and 72 Taxation in a Low Income
social welfare in the Western Economy
Balkans The case of Mozambique
William Bartlett Channing Arndt and Finn Tarp
73 Labour Markets and Economic 77 The Comparative Political
Development Economy of Development
Edited by Ravi Kanbur and Africa and South Asia
Jan Svejnar Edited by Barbara Harriss-White
and Judith Heyer
74 Economic Transitions to
Neoliberalism in Middle-Income 78 Credit Cooperatives in
Countries India
Policy dilemmas, crises, mass Past, present and future
resistance Biswa Swarup Misra
Edited by Alfedo Saad-Filho and
Galip L. Yalman 79 Development Economics in
Action (2nd edition)
75 Latecomer Development A study of economic policies in
Innovation and knowledge for Ghana
economic growth Tony Killick
Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka and
Padmashree Gehl Sampath
76 Trade Relations between the
EU and Africa
Development, challenges and
options beyond the Cotonou
Agreement
Edited by Yenkong Ngangjoh-
Hodu and Francis A. S. T.
Matambalya

Development Economics
in Action
A study of economic policies
in Ghana
Second Edition
Tony Killick