Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective

'The most important book about the world economy to be published in years.' Prospect 'This book is a joy: a fantastically useful teaching aid... a very necessary historical conscience in an age of amnesia.' The Business Economist 'A provocative critique of mainstream economists' sermons directed to developing countries... It demands attention.' Charles Kindleberger, Emeritus Professor of Economics, MIT 'A scholarly tour-de-force... essential reading for industrial policy-makers in the twenty-first century.' Lance Taylor, Professor of Economics, New School University '...a lively, knowledgeable and original contribution to international political economy.' John Toye, Professor of Economics, University of Oxford '...an original and immensely valuable contribution to current debates on development.' Peter Evans, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley How did the rich countries really become rich? In this provocative study, Ha-Joon Chang examines the great pressure on developing countries from the developed world to adopt certain 'good policies' and 'good institutions', seen today as necessary for economic development. Adopting an historical approach, Dr Chang finds that the economic evolution of now-developed countries differed dramatically from the procedures that they now recommend to poorer nations. His conclusions are compelling and disturbing: that developed countries are attempting to 'kick away the ladder' by which they have climbed to the top, thereby preventing developing countries from adopting policies and institutions that they themselves used.