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Understanding the African Growth Record: The Importance of Policy Syndromes and Governance

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  • Augustin Kwasi Fosu

Abstract

The current paper, first, finds that although the post-independence growth of African economies has fallen substantially below that of other regions, this comparative evidence is less than uniform across time and countries. Second, it uncovers total factor productivity as the primary culprit underlying the generally dismal growth record.

Suggested Citation

  • Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2009. "Understanding the African Growth Record: The Importance of Policy Syndromes and Governance," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2009-02, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:dp2009-02
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Augustin Kwasi Fosu & Paul Collier (ed.), 2005. "Post-Conflict Economies in Africa," International Economic Association Series, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-52273-2, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Danquah and Bazoumana Ouattara, 2018. "Comparison of Stochastic Frontier Approaches for Estimating National Efficiency: An Application to Sub-Saharan African Countries," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 43(3), pages 119-142, September.
    2. Julius Gatune, 2010. "Africa’s Development beyond Aid: Getting Out of the Box," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 632(1), pages 103-120, November.
    3. Naudé, Wim, 2010. "Development Progress in sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius and South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 007, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Bertocchi, Graziella, 2011. "Growth, Colonization, and Institutional Development: In and Out of Africa," IZA Discussion Papers 5856, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Wim Naudé, 2010. "Development Progress in sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius and South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-007, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2010. "Africa's Economic Future: Learning from the Past," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 11(01), pages 62-71, April.
    7. Graziella Bertocchi & Andrea Guerzoni, 2010. "Growth, History, or Institutions? What Explains State Fragility in Sub-Saharan Africa," Center for Economic Research (RECent) 044, University of Modena and Reggio E., Dept. of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    8. Nihal Bayraktar, 2019. "Effectiveness of public investment on growth in sub-Saharan Africa," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 9(4), pages 421-457, December.
    9. Danquah, Michael & Ouattara, Bazoumana, 2015. "What drives national efficiency in sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 171-179.
    10. Steve Onyeiwu, 2011. "Does Lack of Innovation and Absorptive Capacity Retard Economic Growth in Africa?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-019, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Naude, Wim & Fosu, Augutin, 2009. "Africa.s Recovery from the Global Economic Crisis," WIDER Working Papers WIDER Angle newsletter Ju, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    12. Steve Onyeiwu, 2011. "Does Lack of Innovation and Absorptive Capacity Retard Economic Growth in Africa?," WIDER Working Paper Series 019, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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