TY - JOUR
T1 - Africa's growth tragedy
T2 - Policies and ethnic divisions
AU - Easterly, William
AU - Levine, Ross
PY - 1997/11
Y1 - 1997/11
N2 - Explaining cross-country differences in growth rates requires not only an understanding of the link between growth and public policies, but also an understanding of why countries choose different public policies. This paper shows that ethnic diversity helps explain cross-country differences in public policies and other economic indicators. In the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, economic growth is associated with low schooling, political instability, underdeveloped financial systems, distorted foreign exchange markets, high government deficits, and insufficient infrastructure. Africa's high ethnic fragmentation explains a significant part of most of these characteristics.
AB - Explaining cross-country differences in growth rates requires not only an understanding of the link between growth and public policies, but also an understanding of why countries choose different public policies. This paper shows that ethnic diversity helps explain cross-country differences in public policies and other economic indicators. In the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, economic growth is associated with low schooling, political instability, underdeveloped financial systems, distorted foreign exchange markets, high government deficits, and insufficient infrastructure. Africa's high ethnic fragmentation explains a significant part of most of these characteristics.
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U2 - 10.1162/003355300555466
DO - 10.1162/003355300555466
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0040153325
SN - 0033-5533
VL - 112
SP - 1203
EP - 1250
JO - Quarterly Journal of Economics
JF - Quarterly Journal of Economics
IS - 4
ER -