THE STATE IN DEVELOPMENT
PUAF699S Allen Schick
Fall 2006 301-405-7609
Office by Appointment
This course explores the role of the state in promoting (or retarding) socioeconomic development. The “role of the state” is a broad term that covers the machinery and policies of government, the institutions and rules that govern social and economic relationships, electoral systems and other political arrangements, the actions of authoritative international organizations, and the place of citizens in society.
In focusing on the state, no claim is made that it is the only factor that accounts for robust development in some countries and sclerosis in others. Yet, it is not plausible to assume the state is only a bystander in the process of development. Highly developed countries tend to have strong states along with developed markets. In historical terms, building the nation and building the state occurred concurrently; one would not have progressed so far without the other.
If the course succeeds, we will have more questions at the end than at the start. We will face conflicting explanations, muddled evidence, historical puzzles, and a cacophony of hypotheses, along with a trail of failure and disappointment, Perhaps the course will humble us, and leave us aware that we know a lot less that we need to know to truly comprehend the dynamics of development.
For the course to succeed, students will have to be active partners in this exploration. They are expected to attend sessions regularly, to participate in discussing assigned readings, and to present research findings.
Course Papers
Students will be organized into two-person teams; each team will be responsible for a series of three papers.
Each team should select and under-developed (poor) country and a more developed transitional or emerging market country. The three papers will pertain to the paired countries. Each paper should be approximately 15-20 pages (plus appendices, where appropriate). The three papers will be on the topics set out below. A class session will be reserved for presenting and discussing the papers, so it is essential that submission deadlines be observed. Toward this end, teams should be formed no later than the second class meeting, and countries should be selected no later than the third meeting.
October 5 Country Profiles
The first paper should present a statistical and historical comparison of the two countries. It should identify and analyze similarities and differences both in the current condition of the two countries and in their history, society, governance, and culture. The aim of the paper should be to account for the state of development in the two countries.
November 2 Country Development Policies
The second paper should closely examine key development policies and actions in the two countries, focusing on the successes (if any) that explain why one country has developed and on the failures that help to explain why the other country hasn’t. In both countries, it should consider the role and performance of government. The paper should offer conclusions and generalizations that may have broad application beyond the two countries.
The paper has to be selective both in the policies examined and the time period covered. Most countries have had a prolonged development process and a plethora of policies/actions. The team should satisfy itself that the period and policies covered offer insights into development strategy.
December 6 Recommended Development Policies
The final paper should focus on the under-developed country, though it should draw inferences from the paired transitional/emerging market country. The task of this paper is to identify options and offer recommendations for promoting development. The tone of the paper should be practical and applied, not conceptual or abstract. Ideally, the paper should provide a roadmap or action plan for development. It should be mindful of failures/obstacles/experiences discussed in previous papers, and should come to grips with the embedded difficulties of the development process.
Class
Presentations and Discussion
Each team will present its findings on the days set aside for the course papers. To promote focused discussion, students will have to abide by the time limits prescribed in advance.
Students will take turns leading the discussion of assigned readings. The student designated discussion leader should introduce the assigned readings by presenting the main findings or issues, commenting on the strengths or shortcomings of the book, and setting out 2-3 questions for discussion.
Depending on the class size, responsibility for leading each discussion might be entrusted to teams rather than to individual students. Students are encouraged to use PowerPoint in their presentations. Although only one or two students will make a formal presentation, all students will be expected to join in.
Grade Policy
Each Paper 25%
Discussion Leader 15%
Course Participation 10%
There are no exams in the course and grading is not on a curve. Although participation is only 10% of the grade, it is imperative that students read and assess the main arguments and themes of the readings.
Assigned
Meredith Woo-Cumings, The Developmental State
Harrison & Huntington, Culture Matters
North & Thomas, The Rise of the Western World
Hernando
World Bank, The State in a Changing World
Atul Kohli, State-Directed Development
William Easterly, The White
Man’s Burden
Przeworski, Democracy and Development
Class Meetings
August 31 Statement of the Problem
United National Human Development Report (excerpts, handouts)
Information on Millennium Development Goals
September 7 Does the State Matter?
World Bank, World Development Report 1997, The State in a Changing
World
September 14 Is Culture Destiny?
Harrison & Huntington, Culture Matters
September 21 Does Democracy Matter?
Przeworski, Democracy and Development
“Illiberal Democracy” (handout)
Human Development Report 2002, Deepening Democracy in a Fragmented World (excerpts, handout)
September 28 Does Aid Work?
Easterly, The White Man’s Burden
October 5 First Paper: Country Profiles
October 12 Do Institutions Matter?
World Development Report 2002, Building Institutions For Markets
World Bank, Institutions Matter: Beyond the Washington Consensus (excerpts)
October 19 What Can Developing Countries Learn from the West?
North & Thomas, The Rise of the Western World
October 26 How Under-developed Countries Differ: Informal Institutions
Hernando
November 2 Second paper: Analysis of Development Strategies
November 9 Can the State Be the Engine for Development?
Woo-Cummings, The Developmental State
November 16 Can the State Direct Development?
Atul Kohli, State-Directed Development
November 30 What Have We Learned?
December 6 Third paper: The Path Ahead