The Arab economies in a changing world / Marcus Noland and Howard Pack.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Noland, Marcus, 1959-

Contributor:

Pack, Howard.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Globalization.

Arab countries--Economic conditions.

Arab countries.

Arab countries--Economic policy.

Arab countries--Politics and government.

Arab countries--History.

Arab countries--Social conditions.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (367 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The tragic events of 9/11 and the subsequent war in Iraq have focused international attention on a nexus of problems involving economic underperformance, problematic internal politics, and externalization of domestic dissent in the Muslim world. This book examines the economics of the Middle East, with the aim of identifying changes to economic policy that could address at least the economic component of the challenges facing this part of the globe. The authors analyze the interaction of trade, productivity growth, and the political difficulties that may ensue as these countries move towards greater openness. Relevant comparisons are drawn from the experience of the transition economies and India on potentially successful policies and those likely to exacerbate existing problems.

Contents:

Dimensions of the challenge. Addressing the challenge

Growth, productivity, and welfare. Identifying the comparators. Natural resources and physical capital. Human capital. Relative international performance. Domestic growth over time. Investment and growth. Sources of differences in growth rates

Welfare, happiness, and discontent. Social indicators. Happiness. Discontent

Dimensions of the challenge. What are the perceived problems? Demographic changes. Employment generation and productivity growth. International trade performance. Dimensions of the problem. Foreign direct investment and financial inflows. Oil rents, aid, and remittances. Financial market development. Explanations of limited globalization. Some effects of lack of globalization

Obstacles to, and enablers of, development. Institutions and the influence of Islam. Religious affiliation and growth across countries. Religion and institutions. legal systems and growth. Corruption and growth. Evolving understanding of development policy. Policies and their effects. An alternate view of the determinants of productivity growth

Policy levers and constraints. Internal constraints to reform. The external policy dimension. The role of preferential agreements. Intra-Arab agreements. Club Med. Preferential agreements with the US

Risk, credibility, and supply response. Domestic entrepreneurship. Reversing the brain drain. Arabs in North America. Arabs in Europe. The role of foreign investment. Asian experiences with diaspora and foreign entrepreneurs. Affinity, democracy, and risk

Authoritarianism, uncertainty, and prospects for change. The political economy of reform. Implications for international exchange. Prospects for change

Conclusions

Defining the problem. Designing solutions. The political economy of reform.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-280-95038-2

9786610950386

0-88132-476-0

1-4356-0920-4

OCLC:

290492800