"Alternative Theories of Southeast Asian Development"

Speaker:

Prof. Yasukichi Yasuba
Faculty of Economics Osaka Gakuin University

Date&Time:

18:30-20:30, February 20 (Fri), 2004

Venue:

E207, East Building of CSEAS

Abstract
This presentation will examine the pronouncement of Japanese economists on Southeast Asia during the past 30 years in the belief that such a survey reveals the strengths and weakness of alternative theories of economic development as applies to Southeast Asia. It finds that Marxist, dependency, borrowed technology, and ersatz capitalist theories have proved to be wrong, or at least inadequate. Moreover, the patrimonial theory which used to be adequate in the 1960s and 1970s has since lost its relevance.
In contrast, neoclassical theories with special emphasis on the quality of human resources have proved to be right.