Economic Development in the Twenty-first Century: Lessons for Africa Throughout History
by Matthew Kofi Ocran (Author)

About the Author
Matthew Kofi Ocran is Professor of Economics and Deputy Dean of Academic Affairs at the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. His current research interests lie in macroeconomics, development economics, development finance and economic history.

About this book
This book uses lessons from history to help African countries take charge of their own economic development agenda. History is an important part of Africa’s economic development narrative, and Ocran investigates how the development outcomes between Africa and Western Europe became so divergent when in the early medieval period average income levels and economic development in the two regions differed only marginally. The sixteenth century marked a turning point, with the emergence of Western European mercantilism and capitalism and their associated exploitation of other countries. In understanding Africa’s economic development, it is crucial to recognise that Africa has not always been poor.
Examining 400 years of enslavement and colonisation, this book takes us to present day Africa and economic issues affecting the continent. With selected case studies from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore to South Korea and China, Ocran proposes ways to break out of the economic development quandary Africa currently faces.

Brief contents
Part I. General Background and Governing Issues
1. Why History Is Important in Africa’s Economic Development Narrative
2. Economic Development: Facts, Theories and Evidence
3. Development Approaches from East Asia
Part II. European Growth and Development That Shaped Africa
4. Medieval European Economies, AD 400–1500
5. Mercantilism as a World Economic Order
Part III. African Experience in the Long Run
6. Medieval African Economies: AD 700–1500
7. Emaciation of African Economies I: The Slave Trades, 1451–1830
8. Emaciation of African Economies II: Colonisation 1880–1960
9. Post-Independence African Economies: 1960–2015
10. Lessons and Ideas for Charting a New Development Path in Africa

Series: Palgrave Studies in Economic History
Pages: 412 pages
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st ed. 2019 edition (June 13, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3030107698
ISBN-13: 978-3030107697