IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aea/jecper/v13y1999i3p89-114.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Africa's Economic Performance: Limitations of the Current Consensus

Author

Listed:
  • John Sender

Abstract

Historical and micro-survey evidence, as well as the standard data from international organizations, support less pessimistic conclusions on Africa's development performance than those reached by many social scientists. The changes that have benefited women over the last four decades are highlighted; a discussion of growth in agricultural production follows. However, the complexity and the brutality of processes of social and economic change in Sub-Saharan African economies are also stressed. The theoretical implications of these complexities have not been adequately analyzed by World Bank economists. The Bank's recent efforts to reassess its policies are, therefore, unlikely to achieve the results anticipated.

Suggested Citation

  • John Sender, 1999. "Africa's Economic Performance: Limitations of the Current Consensus," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 89-114, Summer.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:13:y:1999:i:3:p:89-114
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.13.3.89
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/jep.13.3.89
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bird, Graham, 1996. "Borrowing from the IMF: The policy implications of recent empirical research," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(11), pages 1753-1760, November.
    2. David Dollar & Craig Burnside, 2000. "Aid, Policies, and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(4), pages 847-868, September.
    3. Yeats, Alexander J, 1990. "On the Accuracy of Economic Observations: Do Sub-Saharan Trade Statistics Mean Anything?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 4(2), pages 135-156, May.
    4. Pardey, Philip G. & Roseboom, Johannes & Beintema, Nienke M., 1997. "Investments in african agricultural research," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 409-423, March.
    5. Christopher Cramer, 2000. "Inequality, Development and Economic Correctness," Working Papers 105, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    6. Ahuja,Vinod Kumar & Filmer,Deon P., 1995. "Educational attainments in developing countries : new estimates and projections disaggregated by gender," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1489, The World Bank.
    7. Steve Wiggins, 1995. "Change in African farming systems between the mid‐1970s and the mid‐1980s," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 7(6), pages 807-848, November.
    8. Harcourt,G. C., 2022. "Some Cambridge Controversies in the Theory of Capital," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781009158152, January.
    9. Peters, Pauline, 1996. "Failed Magic Or Social Context? Market Liberalization And The Rural Poor In Malawi," Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) Papers 294379, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.
    10. Amsden, Alice H., 1997. "Editorial: Bringing production back in -- Understanding Government's economic role in late industrialization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 469-480, January.
    11. Chang, Ha-Joon, 1993. "The Political Economy of Industrial Policy in Korea," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 17(2), pages 131-157, June.
    12. J. S. L. McCombie & A. P. Thirlwall, 1994. "Economic Growth and the Balance-of-Payments Constraint," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-23121-8.
    13. Mosley, Paul & Subasat, Turan & Weeks, John, 1995. "Assessing adjustment in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(9), pages 1459-1473, September.
    14. Hayami, Y & Platteau, J-P, 1997. "Resource Endowments and Agricultural Development : Africa vs. Asia," Papers 192, Notre-Dame de la Paix, Sciences Economiques et Sociales.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Odhiambo Alphonce Kasera & Owilli Mathews Odhiambo & Bruno Charles Oloo, 2024. "Africa in Global Public Policy: Theoretical Perspectives and the Role of International Law in Shaping Public Policy in Africa," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(6), pages 910-937, June.
    2. V. Heinrich Amavilah, 2003. "Meditating on "Slow Growth in Africa" - New Evidence or Just Ol' Stuff?," Development and Comp Systems 0307003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Khaled Elmawazini & Sonny Nwankwo, 2013. "Globalisation and Income Gap between Rich and Poor Nations," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 18(2), pages 19-40, September.
    4. Moradi, Alexander, 2010. "Nutritional status and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, 1950-1980," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 16-29, March.
    5. Hlavac, Marek, 2007. "Determinants of Multilateral Official Development Assistance: Evidence from a Panel Study of Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 24243, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Gareth Austin & Jörg Baten & Alexander Moradi, 2007. "Exploring the evolution of living standards in Ghana, 1880- 2000: An anthropometric approach," Working Papers 7021, Economic History Society.
    7. Jomo Kwame Sundaram & Rudiger von Arnim, 2008. "Economic liberalization and constraints to development in sub-Saharan africa," Working Papers 67, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    8. Fosu, Augustin Kwasi, 2013. "Achieving Development Success: Strategies and Lessons from the Developing World," WIDER Working Paper Series 027, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Gareth Austin, 2008. "Resources, techniques, and strategies south of the Sahara: revising the factor endowments perspective on African economic development, 1500–20001," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 61(3), pages 587-624, August.
    10. Steve Onyeiwu, 2011. "Does Lack of Innovation and Absorptive Capacity Retard Economic Growth in Africa?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-019, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2010. "Africa's Economic Future: Learning from the Past," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 11(01), pages 62-71, April.
    12. Peter Gordon & Wendell Cox, 2014. "Modern cities: their role and their private planning roots," Chapters, in: David Emanuel Andersson & Stefano Moroni (ed.), Cities and Private Planning, chapter 8, pages 155-173, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. John Sender, 2000. "Struggles To Escape Poverty In South Africa: Results From A Purposive Rural Survey," Working Papers 107, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    14. Yuan K. Chou & Hayat Khan, 2004. "Explaining Africa's Growth Tragedy: A Theoretical Model of Dictatorship and Kleptocracy," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 922, The University of Melbourne.
    15. Melvin Ayogu, 0. "Infrastructure and Economic Development in Africa: A Review-super- †," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 16(suppl_1), pages -126.
    16. Belinda Archibong & Brahima Coulibaly & Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 2021. "Washington Consensus Reforms and Lessons for Economic Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(3), pages 133-156, Summer.
    17. Gareth Austin & Ewout Frankema & Ewout Morten Jerven, 2015. "Patterns of Manufacturing Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonization to the Present," Working Papers 0071, Utrecht University, Centre for Global Economic History.
    18. Bichaka Fayissa, 2001. "The determinants of infant and child mortality in developing countries: The case of Sub-Sahara Africa," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 29(2), pages 83-98, December.
    19. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2010. "Africa's Economic Future: Learning from the Past," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 11(1), pages 62-71, April.
    20. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2013. "Achieving Development Success: Strategies and Lessons from the Developing World," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2013-027, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jan Willem Gunning & Paul Collier, 1999. "Explaining African Economic Performance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(1), pages 64-111, March.
    2. Nelson H. Barbosa Filho, 2005. "Estimating Potential Output : a Survey of the Alternative Methods and their Applications to Brazil," Discussion Papers 1092, Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada - IPEA.
    3. Mark Setterfield, 2003. "Supply and Demand in the Theory of Long-run Growth: Introduction to a symposium on demand-led growth," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 23-32.
    4. Owusu, Francis, 2003. "Pragmatism and the Gradual Shift from Dependency to Neoliberalism: The World Bank, African Leaders and Development Policy in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 1655-1672, October.
    5. James L. Butkiewicz & Halit Yanikkaya, 2003. "An Assessment of the Effectiveness of International Financial Intervention," Working Papers 03-05, University of Delaware, Department of Economics.
    6. Reynaud, Julien & Vauday, Julien, 2009. "Geopolitics and international organizations: An empirical study on IMF facilities," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 139-162, May.
    7. Araujo, Ricardo Azevedo & Teixeira, Joanilio Rodolpho, 2021. "An appraisal of neo-Kaldorian theories from a structural economic dynamics perspective," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 247-255.
    8. John E. King, 2010. "Kaldor and the Kaldorians," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Farhad Noorbakhsh & Alberto Paloni, 2007. "Learning from structural adjustment: why selectivity may not be the key to successful programmes in Africa," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(7), pages 927-948.
    10. John Weeks, 2000. "Latin America and the 'high performing Asian economies': growth and debt," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(5), pages 625-654.
    11. Jesus Felipe & John S.L. McCombie, 2013. "The Aggregate Production Function and the Measurement of Technical Change," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1975.
    12. Khalid Abu-Ismail, 2003. "The Myth of Export-Led Growth," Working Papers 0335, Economic Research Forum, revised Nov 2003.
    13. Butkiewicz, James L. & Yanikkaya, Halit, 2005. "The Effects of IMF and World Bank Lending on Long-Run Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 371-391, March.
    14. Alfredo Saad-Filho, 2007. "Life beyond the Washington Consensus: An Introduction to Pro-poor Macroeconomic Policies," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(4), pages 513-537.
    15. Xayavong, Vilaphonh & Gounder, Rukmani & Obben, James, 2005. "Theoretical Analysis Of Foreign Aid, Policies And State Institutions," Discussion Papers 23704, Massey University, Department of Applied and International Economics.
    16. Cramer, C., 2002. "Homo Economicus Goes to War: Methodological Individualism, Rational Choice and the Political Economy of War," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 1845-1864, November.
    17. White, Howard, 2002. "Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Poverty Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 511-522, March.
    18. Andrew Boutton, 2019. "Of terrorism and revenue: Why foreign aid exacerbates terrorism in personalist regimes," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 36(4), pages 359-384, July.
    19. Eicher, Theo S. & Schreiber, Till, 2010. "Structural policies and growth: Time series evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 169-179, January.
    20. Guillaumont, Patrick & Guillaumont Jeanneney, Sylviane & Wagner, Laurent, 2017. "How to Take into Account Vulnerability in Aid Allocation Criteria and Lack of Human Capital as Well: Improving the Performance Based Allocation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 27-40.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:13:y:1999:i:3:p:89-114. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Michael P. Albert (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aeaaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.