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From Seers to Sen: The Meaning of Economic Development

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  • Wayne Nafziger

Abstract

The paper compares perspectives on the meaning of development in the late 1970s and early 1980s to the contemporary period, with a focus on the works of Dudley Seers and Amartya Sen. Both men were critical of the development literature of their times. Seers was especially critical of neoclassicism's universal claims and economic growth as the prime objective. For Sen, development involves reducing deprivation or broadening choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Wayne Nafziger, 2006. "From Seers to Sen: The Meaning of Economic Development," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-20, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-20
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    3. Risikat Oladoyin S. Dauda & Kayode, O. Makinde, 2014. "Financial Sector Development and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria: A Vector Autoregression Analysis (1980-2010)," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 4(8), pages 1040-1061, August.
    4. Regier, Gregory & Zereyesus, Yacob & Dalton, Timothy & Amanor-Boadu, Vincent, 2015. "Do Adult Equivalence Scales Matter in Poverty Estimates? A Ghana Case Study," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212487, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Makuachukwu Gabriel, Ojide & Awara, Eke Felix & Chigozie, Agu Osmond & Charity, Ojide Kelechi, 2020. "Socio-economic appraisal of agitations by local oil communities: Evidence from Nigeria," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
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    7. ANYANWU, Felicia Akujinma & ANANWUDE, Amalachukwu Chijindu & OKOYE, Ngozi Theodora, 2017. "An Empirical Assessment of the Impact of Commercial Banks’ Lending on Economic Development of Nigeria," International Journal of Applied Economics, Finance and Accounting, Online Academic Press, vol. 1(1), pages 14-29.
    8. Onyinye I. Anthony-Orji & Anthony Orji & Jonathan E. Ogbuabor & Emmanuel Nwosu, 2017. "An Empirical Re-examination," Journal of Infrastructure Development, India Development Foundation, vol. 9(1), pages 36-48, June.
    9. Cordelia Onyinyechi Omodero, 2019. "The Implication of Corruption on Economic Progress of Nigeria," Review of European Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(2), pages 110-110, December.
    10. Nwosu Chinedu A. & Ebomuche Ngozi C. & Emeh Kenneth O. & Ndukwe Obinna P., 2023. "Real Sectors` Performance as a Precursor to Economic Restructuring in Nigeria," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(7), pages 777-788, July.
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