This book focuses on socio-economic developments of Bangladesh by challenging the dominant international narrative of the case being termed as "development surprise", "development paradox" or "development conundrum," given the absence of good governance. In doing so, the book examines the political economic dynamics and offers valuable insights into the current state of the Bangladeshi economy in light of stability, transformability and sustainability. Pointing to the 'high' rate of growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in Bangladesh, there is wide belief that economic growth can be obtained even without functioning institutions, and is more important than an inclusive political system. Advocates go on to argue that authoritarianism may be condoned as long as a steady course of development is perused. However, the inadequacy of comparative analysis in to the state of the economy of Bangladesh vis-a-vis other relevant economies makes such claims myopic and parochial. This book thus investigates the numbers and narratives to ascertain the validity of such assertions and lamentations by looking at the necessary and sufficient conditions of development. The necessary conditions imply an incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth- land, labour, capital and technology while sufficient conditions warrant a penetrating incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth- land, labour, capital and technology. As such, the book explores development by drawing variables of politics and economics to find out a causal relationship, and interjects these variables have on themes such as growth, agriculture, manufacturing industry, financial sector, health, education, poverty and inequality.

The COVID-19 crisis has fractured the pre-existing structural rigidities and institutional fragilities in the economies of developing countries more than ever, necessitating a rethinking of fiscal and monetary policies, the main vehicles for relief, recovery and reconstruction. This book examines the barriers to transformation in developing countries in the wake of the pandemic and analyses the paths to recovery based on an economic policymaking agenda. It juxtaposes fiscal and monetary policies and state-building from pre- and post-colonial periods to the present-day context. It employs an interdisciplinary approach and ventures beyond the well-rehearsed tendency to explain the state of developing countries by considering the experiences of advanced economies. The book utilises data on three levels: the aggregate level using world data, the single-country context with case studies and a cross-country assessment for comparative analysis. Further, the book critically assesses the relevance of different schools of thought and provides nuanced, thought-provoking theoretical apparatuses applicable to developing countries, as well as allowing the reader to undertake a country-specific analysis through the detailed historical country case studies undertaken in each chapter. Each chapter has a detailed and separate theoretical and empirical section for the ease of understanding of the key propositions in the book. The book will find an audience among scholars and researchers alike, who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the formulation of fiscal and monetary policies, specifically in developing countries. For policymakers and policy advocates, the book will serve as the groundwork for monetary and fiscal policies in the context of developing countries, providing more relevant instruments for transformational pathways.

This book moves away from the orthodox neoliberal paradigm to suggest a new framework linking social policy with citizenship and transformation. The interjection of nation building, public society and public provisioning to the study of education, healthcare and employment caters to the needs of citizens equitably. By combining and coagulating these three broad arenas of politico-economic discussion, this book takes a new approach to the analysis of social policymaking in developing countries to indicate the drivers and triggers of transformation. It makes comprehensive, thorough critical comparisons between the trajectories of developed and developing countries, finds out the gaps in transformation and suggests drivers for changes. The intentions of social policymaking, as proposed in the book, are to curb the growing inequalities in the forms of class, power and marginalisation. The chapters on education focus on provisioning of public goods for skills formation, innovation and citizenship education. The sections on healthcare centre on universal health care as opposed to universal health coverage by analysing access, healthcare-seeking behaviour, price setting, market provisioning etc. For the chapters on employment, propositions are posited regarding the expansion of productive capacity, factor mobility and social security to ensure work for all. Besides theorising education, healthcare and employment based on public provisioning by the people's state, underwritten by a public society, the book provides feasible solutions through data sourced from all major international organisations. In addition, it recognises the unique postcolonial struggles and aspirations of the developing countries, and accordingly resorts to defining the normative principles, reflecting nuances, subtleties and peculiarities. This book is a continuation of the author's Fiscal and Monetary Policies in Developing Countries: State, Citizenship and Transformation (Routledge) and will draw the attention of scholars and researchers who wish to gain a deeper understanding of, and pragmatic solutions to, social policies that address the transformational pathways of developing countries, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This book focuses on socio-economic developments of Bangladesh by challenging the dominant international narrative of the case being termed as "development surprise", "development paradox" or "development conundrum," given the absence of good governance. In doing so, the book examines the political economic dynamics and offers valuable insights into the current state of the Bangladeshi economy in light of stability, transformability and sustainability. Pointing to the 'high' rate of growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in Bangladesh, there is wide belief that economic growth can be obtained even without functioning institutions, and is more important than an inclusive political system. Advocates go on to argue that authoritarianism may be condoned as long as a steady course of development is perused. However, the inadequacy of comparative analysis in to the state of the economy of Bangladesh vis-a-vis other relevant economies makes such claims myopic and parochial. This book thus investigates the numbers and narratives to ascertain the validity of such assertions and lamentations by looking at the necessary and sufficient conditions of development. The necessary conditions imply an incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth- land, labour, capital and technology while sufficient conditions warrant a penetrating incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth- land, labour, capital and technology. As such, the book explores development by drawing variables of politics and economics to find out a causal relationship, and interjects these variables have on themes such as growth, agriculture, manufacturing industry, financial sector, health, education, poverty and inequality.

The COVID-19 crisis has fractured the pre-existing structural rigidities and institutional fragilities in the economies of developing countries more than ever, necessitating a rethinking of fiscal and monetary policies, the main vehicles for relief, recovery and reconstruction. This book examines the barriers to transformation in developing countries in the wake of the pandemic and analyses the paths to recovery based on an economic policymaking agenda. It juxtaposes fiscal and monetary policies and state-building from pre- and post-colonial periods to the present-day context. It employs an interdisciplinary approach and ventures beyond the well-rehearsed tendency to explain the state of developing countries by considering the experiences of advanced economies. The book utilises data on three levels: the aggregate level using world data, the single-country context with case studies and a cross-country assessment for comparative analysis. Further, the book critically assesses the relevance of different schools of thought and provides nuanced, thought-provoking theoretical apparatuses applicable to developing countries, as well as allowing the reader to undertake a country-specific analysis through the detailed historical country case studies undertaken in each chapter. Each chapter has a detailed and separate theoretical and empirical section for the ease of understanding of the key propositions in the book. The book will find an audience among scholars and researchers alike, who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the formulation of fiscal and monetary policies, specifically in developing countries. For policymakers and policy advocates, the book will serve as the groundwork for monetary and fiscal policies in the context of developing countries, providing more relevant instruments for transformational pathways.

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls: The Political Economy of Agrarian Transition in Developing Countries offers a new explanation for the decline in agricultural productivity in developing countries. Transcending the conventional approaches to understanding productivity using agricultural inputs and factors of production, this work brings in the role of formal and informal institutions that govern transactions, property rights, and accumulation. This more robust methodology leads to a comprehensive, well-balanced lens to perceive agrarian transition in developing countries. It argues that the existing process of accumulation has resulted in nonsustainable agriculture because of market failures-the result of asymmetries of power, diseconomies of scale, and unstable property rights. The book covers the historical shifts in land relations, productivity, and class relations that have led to present-day challenges in sustainability. The result is arrested productivity growth. Agrarian transition should be understood in the context of the wider economic development in society, including how political settlement and primitive accumulation inhibited the kind of property rights that encourage growth. Why Agriculture Productivity Falls is a much-needed corrective to the traditional understanding, because before we can increase productivity, we must understand the root causes of those challenges.

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls: The Political Economy of Agrarian Transition in Developing Countries offers a new explanation for the decline in agricultural productivity in developing countries. Transcending the conventional approaches to understanding productivity using agricultural inputs and factors of production, this work brings in the role of formal and informal institutions that govern transactions, property rights, and accumulation. This more robust methodology leads to a comprehensive, well-balanced lens to perceive agrarian transition in developing countries. It argues that the existing process of accumulation has resulted in nonsustainable agriculture because of market failures-the result of asymmetries of power, diseconomies of scale, and unstable property rights. The book covers the historical shifts in land relations, productivity, and class relations that have led to present-day challenges in sustainability. The result is arrested productivity growth. Agrarian transition should be understood in the context of the wider economic development in society, including how political settlement and primitive accumulation inhibited the kind of property rights that encourage growth. Why Agriculture Productivity Falls is a much-needed corrective to the traditional understanding, because before we can increase productivity, we must understand the root causes of those challenges.