The Role of Elites in Economic Development

Elites have a disproportionate impact on development outcomes. While a country's endowments constitute the deep determinates of growth, the trajectory they follow is shaped by the actions of elites. But what factors affect whether elites use their influence for individual gain or national welfare? To what extent do they see poverty as a problem? And are their actions today constrained by institutions and norms established in the past? This volume looks at case studies from South Africa to China to seek a better understanding of the dynamics behind how elites decide to engage with economic development. Approaches include economic modelling, social surveys, theoretical analysis, and program evaluation. These different methods explore the relationship between elites and development outcomes from five angles: the participation and reaction of elites to institutional creation and change, how economic changes affect elite formation and circulation, elite perceptions of national welfare, the extent to which state capacity is part of elite self-identity, and how elites interact with non-elites. Contributors to this volume - the late Alice H. Amsden, formerly of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA Diego Avanzini, Latin American School of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Chile Francois Bourguignon, Paris School of Economics, France Thomas Cantens, World Customs Organization, Brussels Alisa DiCaprio, UNU-WIDER, Finland Sai Ding, University of Minnesota, USA Dieter von Fintel, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Johan Fourie, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Bjorn Gustafsson, Goteborg University, Sweden Chipiliro Kalebe-Nyamongo, University of Birmingham, UK Monica Pinhanez, Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Brazil Elisa P. Reis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil James A. Robinson, Harvard University , USA Andres Solimano, International Center for Globalization and Development, CIGLOB, Chile Thierry Verdier, Paris School of Economics, France Alison Wolf, King's College London, UK Sam Wong, University of Liverpool, UK Xiaowei Zang, University of Sheffield, UK