Democracy and Development

1997 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim F. I. Shihata

This note addresses the possible correlation between “democracy” and “development”, and the implications, if any, of such a correlation for the World Bank. This calls, first, for providing a definition of the two concepts as they are used here. To clarify the matter further, a distinction is made from the beginning between “development” in the broad sense and the concept of “economic growth” in the strict sense.

Author(s):  
Stephen Kwamena Aikins

This study investigated the extent and benefits of Africa's broadband connectivity, its impact on e-government and economic growth, and the challenges and best practices for addressing them. Studies by the UN and ITU over the years have revealed Africa lags behind in the global broadband connectivity and e-government diffusion. The Connect Africa summit held in 2007 by the ITU and its partners came out with five specific goals to connect the continent and help improve its economy. This study reviewed the Connect Africa Outcomes Report, and analyzed the publications of three independent studies conducted by: a) the ITU, b) the World Bank and the African Development Bank, and c) Informa Telecoms and Media. The findings reveal that Africa has made substantial progress in international connectivity and mobile broadband penetration. Additionally, broadband connectivity has contributed toward some improvements in e-government initiatives and economic growth. The study concludes with recommendations to address the existing challenges to consolidate the gains made.


Author(s):  
Youssra Ben Romdhane ◽  
Sahar Loukil ◽  
Souhaila Kammoun

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the effect of FinTech and political incertitude on economic growth through a multiple regression. Thus, the authors employ the method of generalized least square (GLS) with panel data. The sample concerns 21 African countries during (2001-2014-2017). The authors use a wide range of measures from Global Findex Database 2017, the World Bank platform, the World Bank national accounts data, and the OECD National Accounts data files base in the context of Africa. Empirical results show that FinTech is a driver of economic growth unless it is actively used in a developed digital infrastructure. In fact, the authors prove that, when financial technologies are used in both transactions (receive and made digital payment), they significantly contribute to the economic cycle. Passive use like simple consumption actions are not a significant lever for the economy. The principal contribution is to highlight that the active use of financial innovations and not passive one and the developed digital infrastructure do promote economic growth in African countries.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wullianallur Raghupathi ◽  
Viju Raghupathi

In this article, the authors use analytics to explore the association between economic growth and climate change at a country-level. They examine different indicators to better understand the macro issues and guide policy decision-making. The authors analyze global economic growth and climate change using the World Bank data of 131 countries and 16 indicators for the period 2005 to 2010. The analysis shows overall economic growth is positively associated with climate change. This implies country leaders should design and implement structured development plans if they are to promote economic growth to alleviate poverty while simultaneously mitigating climate change.


1999 ◽  
Vol 354 (1392) ◽  
pp. 1943-1948 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Wolfensohn

By many people, the 20th century will be remembered as an era of great achievement in human endeavour, and of enormous economic growth and prosperity. Achievements in medical research, from eradicating infectious diseases to laser surgery; in engineering, from the transistor to space exploration; and in economic development have all contributed to greater well being in the world at the end of the 20th century. Among the challenges to development identified by the World Bank in the coming decades will be managing the twin processes of globalization and localization, as well as post–conflict reconstruction. These will form the backdrop of the Bank's main focus of creating a world free of poverty.


Author(s):  
Mustafizur Rahman ◽  
Muhammad Abu Yusuf

Bangladesh is one of the top five growing economies in the world, according to the World Bank. The country is now at a critical economic juncture with many challenges ahead. The double-digit growth rate of Gross Domestic Product, a massive influx of investment and a highly skilled workforce is the key bases to secure ‘Vision 2041’. This study shows how the Economic Zones are contributing to foster economic development in Bangladesh. The background study of the Economic Zones showed that the ‘Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority Act, 2010’ was enacted to make each zone an engine for economic growth. Describing the challenges, the study shows the key dynamic aspects of Economic Zones and the rationale behind why investors and other people are marking them as key role players in the economic advancements of Bangladesh. Economic Zones are contributing to attracting Foreign Direct Investment, local investment and employment to promote the economic growth of the country. The priorities of the investors were sorted out, and some gaps were also detected. Upgrading online servicing in fostering ‘One Stop Service’ and revisiting fiscal rules are the suggestions more from this study.


1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-108
Author(s):  
Anis Alam

In 1995 the Republic of Korea (ROK) was officially admitted to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This organisation groups together industrially developed countries of the world. Recently, the World Bank has also released a study of China that predicts that China is going to become the second biggest economy in the next fifteen years if its economic growth follows the pattern of the last fifteen years. ROK is the only country from among the developing countries to join the ranks of the developed industrialised countries in the last thirty years. However, it is still a small country compared to China. Hence when China completes its transformation into an industrialised country the whole world will be affected.


1987 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-456
Author(s):  
Rainer Marggraf ◽  
Wolfgang-Peter Zingel

Economic growth, and the distribution of wealth and income, are two of the major, dimensions of economic policy in all countries. If one follows the data published by the World Bank, one can see, that even the relative income distribution in the developed and some of the developing countries are very similar; it is only, that the level of income is much lower in the latter countries, and therefore, that low income is more visible and striking. Therefore, raising the level of income of the very poor has been a major task of all governments. There has been a very controversial discussion, however, as to how the incomes of the poor can be raised easily, whether by economic growth, redistribution of wealth, i.e. the means of production, or of income. This discussion has been inconclusive so far, and the present paper sets out to examine some of these aspects. Pakistan may serve as a perfect example, considering the fact, that the country first suffered from an overemphasis on economic growth and a neglect of distribution and then tried distribution with no growth.


Subject Prospects for Central Asia in 2016. Significance In October, both the World Bank and the IMF downgraded Central Asia's economic growth outlook for 2016. The previous month, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had signalled the rising influence of extremist organisations, first and foremost the Islamic State group (ISG) across the region. Central Asian regimes are faced with a multitude of risks, including political destabilisation.


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