Institutions and Economic Development or Principles of Macroeconomics

Institutions and Economic Development: Growth and Governance in Less-Developed and Post-Socialist Countries

Author: Christopher K Clagu

The puzzles of economic development and post-communist transitions, according to Christopher Clague and his colleagues, can be illuminated by a serious economic analysis of institutions. Economic performance is strongly dependent on the economic policies selected and on the manner in which these policies are implemented by government agencies. Performance is also affected by property rights and contract enforcement mechanisms in the business community and by patterns of participation in community organizations. These and other institutional arrangements are analyzed in this book under the rubric of the New Institutional Economics. Christopher Clague brings together a distinguished group of economists and political scientists to address the determinants and consequences of international differences in economic and political institutions.

After reviewing the intellectual landscape of the New Institutional Economics and other contributions, the authors present new evidence that international differences in property rights and contract enforcement help to explain differences in income, investment, and growth. Additional topics include the effects of democratic political institutions on economic performance, the determinants of success or failure in community organization, the institutional challenges facing formerly communist societies, and the use of the economics of information to improve government administrative performance. The book will be of interest to both scholars and development practitioners.

Contributors include economists Christopher Clague, Robert Klitgaard, Peter Murrell, Mancur Olson, Vernon Ruttan, and Vito Tanzi, and political scientists Stephan Haggard,Margaret Levi, and Elinor Ostrom.

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Principles of Macroeconomics

Author: Joseph E Stiglitz

For the Third Edition, 2001 Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz joins forces with new co-author Carl Walsh, who brings both economic expertise and teaching savvy to the project. Together, Stiglitz and Walsh thoroughly integrate contemporary economics into the traditional curriculum. Recognizing the limitations of the traditional AS/AD model, the authors offer an improved framework for the analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations. This approach emphasizes the role of the Fed and the federal funds market in the determination of short-term interest rates. The result is an analysis of fluctuations in inflation/output space and a model reflecting the real world of macroeconomics that students encounter in the business press and other media.

Author Biography: Joseph E. Stiglitz is professor of economics, business, and international and public affairs at Columbia University. Known throughout the world for his groundbreaking research, Joseph Stiglitz received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001. Carl E. Walsh is professor of economics at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is widely known for his research in monetary economics and is the author of a leading graduate text, Monetary Theory and Policy (MIT Press).

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Designed for a one-semester course, this introductory textbook presents the basic concepts of macroeconomics, describes the full- employment model, considers macroeconomic fluctuations, outlines the financial system, and addresses controversies concerning government policy. The skills needed for understanding economic analysis and policy debates are emphasized. A glossary defines key terms. Stiglitz teaches at Columbia University. Walsh teaches at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)