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The Relevance of Ragnar Nurkse and Classical Development Economics

Author

Listed:
  • Rainer Kattel
  • Jan A. Kregel
  • Erik S. Reinert
Abstract
In this essay we aim to show, first, how the classical development economics, that of Ragnar Nurkse's (1907-1957) generation, epitomized the best development practices of the past 500 years and crafted them into what Krugman rightly calls high development theory. It is not a coincidence that the post-World-War-II era, when Nurkse and others ruled the development mainstream, is one of exceptionally good performance for many poor countries. Second, we argue that the alleged death of the classical development economics and subsequent rise of the Washington Consensus has to do not so much with increasing modeling in economics, a way of research purposely discarded by many classical development thinkers, but much more with misunderstanding the reasons for East Asia's success and Latin America's demise; we show that the root cause of this misunderstanding - that goes in fact back to 'misreading' key passages in Adam Smith - is the role of technology, or of increasing returns activities, and of finance, in development. Third, we aim to indicate key areas of further research that the current development mainstream should pursue in order to re-learn how to create middle-income economies and middle-class jobs.

Suggested Citation

  • Rainer Kattel & Jan A. Kregel & Erik S. Reinert, 2009. "The Relevance of Ragnar Nurkse and Classical Development Economics," The Other Canon Foundation and Tallinn University of Technology Working Papers in Technology Governance and Economic Dynamics 21, TUT Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance.
  • Handle: RePEc:tth:wpaper:21
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    Cited by:

    1. Zenonas Norkus & Jurgita Markevičiūtė, 2021. "New estimation of the gross domestic product in Baltic countries in 1913–1938," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 15(3), pages 565-674, September.
    2. Aldo Caliari, 2012. "Why do Shared Societies make economic sense? Three theoretical approximations," Working Papers 2012/28, Maastricht School of Management.
    3. Irwin, Douglas A., 2021. "The rise and fall of import substitution," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Erik S. Reinert, 2009. "The Terrible Simplifers: Common Origins of Financial Crises and Persistent Poverty in Economic Theory and the new ‘1848 Moment’," Working Papers 88, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    5. Erkki Karo & Rainer Kattel, 2009. "The Copying Paradox: Why Converging Policies but Diverging Capacities for Development in Eastern European Innovation Systems?," The Other Canon Foundation and Tallinn University of Technology Working Papers in Technology Governance and Economic Dynamics 24, TUT Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance.
    6. Nikolay Nenovsky & Pencho Penchev, 2013. "Historic View on the Protectionism in Bulgaria and Romania. Protectionism Theories of Mihail Manoilesku (1891-1950) and Konstantin Bobchev (1894-1976)," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 3-44.
    7. Jeffery S. McMullen, 2011. "Delineating the Domain of Development Entrepreneurship: A Market–Based Approach to Facilitating Inclusive Economic Growth," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(1), pages 185-215, January.

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