A dozen countries had weak institutions in 1960 and yet sustained high rates of growth subsequently. We use data on their characteristics early in the growth process to create benchmarks with which to evaluate potential constraints on sustained growth for sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis suggests that what are usually regarded as first-order problems -- broad institutions, macroeconomic stability, trade openness, education, and inequality -- may not nowbe binding constraints in Africa, although the extent of ill-health, internal conflict, and societal fractionalization do stand out as problems in contemporary Africa. A key question is to what extent Africa can rely on manufactured exports as a mode of "escape from underdevelopment," a strategy successfully deployed by almost all the benchmark countries. The benchmarking comparison specifically raises two key concerns as far as a development strategy based on expanding exports of manufactures is concerned: micro-level institutions that affect the costs of exporting, and the level of the real exchange rate -- especially the need to avoid overvaluation.
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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number
13120.
Length: Date of creation: May 2007 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13120
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Richard B. Freeman & David L. Lindauer, 1999.
"Why Not Africa?,"
NBER Working Papers
6942, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)
Alberto Alesina & Arnaud Devleeschauwer & William Easterly & Sergio Kurlat & Romain Wacziarg, 2003.
"Fractionalization,"
NBER Working Papers
9411, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)
Ricardo Hausmann & Lant Pritchett & Dani Rodrik, 2004.
"Growth Accelerations,"
NBER Working Papers
10566, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
[Downloadable!] (restricted)
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