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Awakening Giants, Feet of Clay

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  • Pranab Bardhan

    (Department of Economics, University of California at Berkeley)

Abstract

Both China and India have made remarkable economic progress in the last quarter century—China more than India—but both have severe structural and institutional problems that will hobble them for many years to come. In this article, after a comparative study of the two economies in terms of broad development indicators, we explore some deeper social and historical issues that underlie their differential ability to resolve collective action problems in long-term investment and to manage political conflicts, which go beyond the usual simple aggregative comparisons of an authoritarian and a democratic political regime.

Suggested Citation

  • Pranab Bardhan, 2006. "Awakening Giants, Feet of Clay," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 1(1), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:soudev:v:1:y:2006:i:1:p:1-17
    DOI: 10.1177/097317410500100101
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. World Bank, 2006. "World Development Report 2007," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 5989.
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter E. Robertson, 2012. "Deciphering the Hindu growth epic," Indian Growth and Development Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 51-69, April.
    2. Angus Maddison, 2008. "The West and the Rest in the World Economy: 1000–2030," World Economics, World Economics, 1 Ivory Square, Plantation Wharf, London, United Kingdom, SW11 3UE, vol. 9(4), pages 75-100, October.
    3. Grabowski, Richard, 2009. "An alternative Indian model?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 50-61, January.
    4. Wei Li & Taye Mengistae & Lixin Colin Xu, 2011. "Diagnosing Development Bottlenecks: China and India," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 73, pages 722-752, December.
    5. Felipe, Jesus & Kumar, Utsav & Abdon, Arnelyn, 2013. "Exports, capabilities, and industrial policy in India," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 939-956.
    6. Yaobo Shi & Chun-Ping Chang & Chyi-Lu Jang & Yu Hao, 2018. "Does economic performance affect officials’ turnover? Evidence from municipal government leaders in China," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1873-1891, July.
    7. Angus Maddison, 2009. "L?Occidente e il Resto del Mondo nell?economia mondiale: un?interpretazione Maddisoniana e Malthusiana dal 1000 al 2030," ARGOMENTI, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2009(27), pages 7-30.
    8. Srikanta Chatterjee & Allan Rae & Ranjan Ray, 2011. "Globalisation, India’s Evolving Food Economy and Trade Prospects for Australia and New Zealand," Chapters, in: Matthew Tonts & M. A.B. Siddique (ed.), Globalisation, Agriculture and Development, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Angus MADDISON, 2008. "Shares of the Rich and the Rest in the World Economy: Income Divergence Between Nations, 1820–2030," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 3(1), pages 67-82, June.
    10. Chen, Xiude & Qin, Quande & Wei, Y.-M., 2016. "Energy productivity and Chinese local officials’ promotions: Evidence from provincial governors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 103-112.

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