Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective 1st Edition

by Ha-Joon Chang (Author)

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ISBN-13: 978-1843310273

ISBN-10: 1843310279

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How did the rich countries really become rich? In this provocative study, Ha-Joon Chang examines the great pressure on developing countries from the developed world to adopt certain 'good policies' and 'good institutions', seen today as necessary for economic development. His conclusions are compelling and disturbing: that developed countries are attempting to 'kick away the ladder' with which they have climbed to the top, thereby preventing developing countries from adopting policies and institutions that they themselves have used.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

'The most important book about the world economy to be published in years.' —'Prospect'

‘Highly relevant to today’s debates about the role of policies and institutions in development as well as the role of government in general… It is a great contribution, not least for its historical approach, and will continue to influence the debate on development.’ —Seb Bytyçi, ‘ID: International Dialogue, A Multidisciplinary Journal of World Affairs’

'This book is a joy: a fantastically useful teaching aid…a very necessary historical conscience in an age of amnesia.' —'The Business Economist'

'This is an intriguing book that raises important issues. Recommended.' —J. M. Nowakowski, Muskingum College, in ‘Choice’

Review

'A provocative critique of mainstream economists' sermons directed to developing countries… It demands attention.' —Charles Kindleberger, Emeritus Professor of Economics, MIT

'A scholarly tour-de-force… Essential reading for industrial policy-makers in the twenty-first century.' —Lance Taylor, Professor of Economics, New School University

'…A lively, knowledgeable and original contribution to international political economy.' —John Toye, Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

'…An original and immensely valuable contribution to current debates on development.' —Peter Evans, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Paperback: 196 pages
Publisher: Anthem Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1843310279
ISBN-13: 978-1843310273
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 22 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #224 in Books > Textbooks > Business & Finance > Business Development
- #244 in Books > Textbooks > Business & Finance > International Business
- #341 in Books > Business & Money > Economics > Development & Growth

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While I think Ha-Joon Chang could have devoted at least ...

August 23, 2016

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While I think Ha-Joon Chang could have devoted at least a little bit more time to an economic topic this weighty, he manages to offer an incredibly comprehensive and ultimately compelling argument for why developing countries should use protectionist trade policies to enhance economic growth.
There were two particular elements of Chang's research that I really appreciated. The first was the level of rigor that he applied in trying to isolate trade policies as a causal factor in economic growth. Instead of simply looking at a country's tariff levels and then their GDP growth, he also explores different countries level of "institutional development" in areas such as democratic representation, child labor laws, limited liability laws, central banking autonomy, bankruptcy policy, etc. In pursuing this kind of methodology, he is able to more effectively argue that the issue behind developing countries' lackluster economic growth is not a lack of maturity in these democratic institutions (in fact, many of them are more maturely developed than that of most NDC (now-developed countries) were at their highest points of industrialization) but rather a lack of protectionism.
Another thing that I appreciated was his willingness to point out that the UK and the US experienced their highest rates of industrialization when they had some of the highest tariff rates in history. Similarly, India and China have the highest rates of industrialization among developing countries while pursuing the most aggressively protectionist trade policy.
While his research/methodology could be criticized for being incomplete, I still think that his book offers an unique, maybe even essential perspective in an area where it seems as though the dominating consensus is free-trade and unfettered globalization. A must-read for all the neo-classicals/neo-liberals.

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Edwin Muchiri

If you want to develop your country protect your infant industries despite the consequences or ire from the west

December 31, 2017

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The answer to the west's "conventional wisdom" about free trade, institutions and the genesis of their development

A path they impose by hiding the truth, the path they took to developed country status

Read not only the book but the vast citation of research papers and books

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Wealthy Nations to Developing Countries: "Do as We Preach, Not What we Actually Did!"

January 20, 2011

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As an MBA student at a top 20 US program, I came across Chang's "Kicking Away the Ladder" by accident a year ago when looking for a fresh, unorthodox perspective to supplement what I was learning in my international economics course. After all, one cannot let schooling get in the way of one's education! This book did not disappoint. It made earning top marks (a solid "A") easier and more interesting in what is normally a dry, esoteric subject.

By "Kicking away the ladder," what Chang is arguing is that today's wealthy countries, like the US and UK, recommend and enforce a standard set of economic policies (like deregulation, free trade, patent/copyright protections) onto many poorer countries (in South America, sub-Sahara Africa) under the mistaken belief that these free market and free trade policies were how they (the US, UK, etc...) eventually matured into economic powerhouses. In other words, rich countries, through the IMF and World Bank, tell poorer countries "do as we preach, not as we actually did ourselves." Unfortunately, since the 1980s, these policies, often adopted as a precondition for trade agreements and aid during financial crises (i.e. 1997 East Asia) from wealthy nations, has brought about more social inequality and macroeconomic instability instead of the promised goal of sustained growth. Yet despite the failures, these policies are still preached and prescribed just the same, as an article of economic faith.

This book offers a refreshing antidote to this textbook orthodoxy by highlighting and analyzing the historical evidence of many wealthy and poorer countries in light of effects of current economic policy prescriptions (at least as of 2003). Chang's argument is fairly easy to follow, carefully nuanced in that it addresses various subtle counter-arguments to his perspectives, and is well researched--nearly a fourth of his book is devoted to bibliography and detailed footnote references.

My only criticism of this work is really a petty complaint: it could have been written for an even wider, more general audience. International development economics is Chang's specialty but sometimes as an expert, it's difficult to remember what it was like to not intimately know the material. His work is still more readable than a typical textbook or academic article on the subject. He offers a great unorthodox perspective to an important issue, but it needs to be made more accessible to an audience that may not have taken prior graduate economics courses. For example, throughout it's taken for granted that the reader will know what "trade liberalization" means. That being said, I still highly recommend this book and give it five stars in the hope that Chang will continue to offer his fresh insights and analysis with a wider audience in mind.

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Zora Hurston

Informative and thoughtful read

August 28, 2011

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This book demonstrates in detail how rich, industrialized nations did not develop in accordance with the prescriptions the World Bank and other international financial institutions currently foist upon poor nations. Instead many, including the U.S., employed protectionist policies that permitted their infant industries to become strong enough to compete internationally. It does raise questions regarding how any nation in the contemporary world could possibly modernize following these policies. Should note, that I have written long articles critical of development discourse and thus may be sympathetic - although it should also be noted that the book is largely factual - the author just documents what actually took place, even if it is a history that is rarely recounted in this context.

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Jade S

Good book for development practitioners out there

July 21, 2018

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Good book for development practitioners out there. Good case studies of the impact of liberal economics pro and cons.

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P. Chen

Four Stars

June 11, 2015

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Good book, fast deliver.

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Megan A

Enlightening!

January 9, 2015

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The role of the state in economic development and the myths of free trade.

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hector mendoza

Good examples of how developed countries committed the same mistakes ...

November 9, 2017

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Good examples of how developed countries committed the same mistakes that present developing countries are experiencing. However, more detailed examples would be great to understand the issue better.

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