Development Economics
Last updated: November 03, 2023
We have a range of interviews with experts recommending their best books on development economics. The internationally renowned economist, Jeffrey D Sachs, chooses his best books on millennium development goals, including Ethics for the New Millennium by the Dalai Lama, Manifesto by the theologian Hans Kung, and a speech by John F Kennedy.
Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the founder of the Grameen bank, chooses his best books on a world without poverty. Apart from his own books Creating a World Without Poverty and Banker to the Poor he chooses works of literature that illustrate the lives of the poor. He argues that economics needs to be reframed. Asked whether he could recommend any economics books for students of economics, he replies, “no, not really”.
Professor Pranab Bardhan takes a more middle-of-the road approach to his recommendations on economic development, choosing The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith and works by four other leading economists, including Amartya Sen. George Magnus, former chief economist at UBS chooses his best books on emerging markets and the Ghanaian economist and President of the Free Africa Foundation in Washington DC chooses his best books on Africa through African eyes, arguing that a greater sensitivity to African culture is a pre-requisite to the continent’s improved development.
Rajiv Shah, former head of USAID discusses breakthroughs in development and the economist and microfinance expert, Stuart Rutherford, chooses his best books on the poor and their money.
-
1
Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective
by Ha-Joon Chang -
2
Creating the Cold War University: The Transformation of Stanford
by Rebecca Lowen -
3
Asia's Next Giant: South Korea and Late Industrialization
by Alice Amsden -
4
The Politics of Large Numbers: A History of Statistical Reasoning
by Alain Desrosières & Camille Naish (translator) -
5
The Collapse of Complex Societies
by Joseph Tainter
The best books on Industrial Policy, recommended by Danny Crichton
The best books on Industrial Policy, recommended by Danny Crichton
Government intervention in the economy played a key role in the East Asian economic miracle and, further back, the development of countries that have traditionally championed free markets around the world. As the merit of state leadership in key industries returns to mainstream debate, Danny Crichton of venture capital firm Lux Capital recommends five outstanding books for understanding industrial policy.
-
1
Invisible Users: Youth in the Internet Cafés of Urban Ghana
by Jenna Burrell -
2
Digital Entrepreneurship in Africa: How a Continent Is Escaping Silicon Valley's Long Shadow
by Mark Graham, Michel Wahome & Nicholas Friederici -
3
China Africa and the Future of the Internet
by Iginio Gagliardone -
4
Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics: How the Internet Era is Transforming Politics in Kenya
by Nanjala Nyabola -
5
Africa's Information Revolution
by James Murphy & Padraig Carmody
The best books on Digital Africa, recommended by Mohammad Amir Anwar
The best books on Digital Africa, recommended by Mohammad Amir Anwar
The internet and digital technology are transforming not only the way African countries trade and conduct business but also how they cohere socially and politically. Mohammad Amir Anwar, Lecturer in African Studies and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, recommends books that investigate the opportunities for Africa from the growth of technology—but focus on specifics and avoid the hype.
-
1
Why The West Rules - For Now: The Patterns of History and what they reveal about the Future
by Ian Morris -
2
Why Nations Fail
by Daron Acemoglu & James Robinson -
3
China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society
by Development Research Center of the State Council & World Bank -
4
The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World
by Ruchir Sharma -
5
Uprising: Will Emerging Markets Shape or Shake the World Economy?
by George Magnus
The best books on Emerging Markets, recommended by George Magnus
The best books on Emerging Markets, recommended by George Magnus
What determines whether a country goes backwards or forwards? Why have so few developing countries joined the ranks of rich nations? George Magnus, former chief economist of UBS, chooses books to help us reflect on what it is that societies need in order to be successful.
The best books on Africa through African Eyes, recommended by George Ayittey
The Ghanaian economist George Ayittey denounces the failure of leadership and Western policy in Africa and explains what “African solutions to African problems” would mean in practice.
The best books on Breakthroughs in Development, recommended by Rajiv Shah
The head of USAID says ending poverty is within our grasp, and explains why development and a flair for business can be a happy combination
The best books on The Millennium Development Goals , recommended by Jeffrey D Sachs
The prominent international economic adviser, Jeff Sachs, says we can reduce poverty by devoting just a modest fraction of our vast wealth to the effort.
The best books on A World Without Poverty, recommended by Muhammad Yunus
The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize-winner talks about his creation of micro-credit and walks us through his five books on poverty and how to eradicate it – includes Zola’s Germinal and Dickens’ A Tale Of Two Cities
The best books on Economic Development, recommended by Pranab Bardhan
What is economic development? What does it take to make it happen? What can we learn from the days Britain was still a developing country? Eminent Indian economist, Pranab Bardhan, recommends the best books to better understand economic development.
The best books on The Poor and Their Money, recommended by Stuart Rutherford
Modern microfinance was born in the late 1970s, and is now viewed as a key way of helping people in poor countries get out of poverty. Author and practitioner Stuart Rutherford recommends the best books to get a basic understanding of microfinance.
