인터넷서점 인터파크도서

     It is the magnificant work of Chang Ha-joon, today’s most admired ’Development Policy’ evangelist in the world, and Ilene Grabel, extraordinary international financial economist.

      I have read Chang’s other books, including Kicking Away the Ladder(2002); Globalization, Economic Development, and the Role of the State(2003); and Bad Samaritans(2007). I would like to say this one, Reclaiming Development, is the best.

      Kicking Away the Ladder is rather a book of history of economy, probing how today’s industrialized countries developed.

      Globalization, Economic Development, and the Role of the State is a thorough and rather formal research paper that has not only numerous informative charts and graphs but also facts and figures from a good deal of references of respected institutions and scholars.

      Bad Samaritans is like somewhat a magazine article with its sensational title. It is easy to read, but it lacks practicality because it mainly focuses on criticism against neoliberals’ globalization orthodoxy.

      However, Reclaiming Development has all the good aspects of his previous books above. I would say this book is the ’All-in-One’ development textbook.  It is a abridged or summarized version of all his past works. It is very focused, straight, concise and has a direct approach toward the pros and cons of neoliberal ideas and how developing countries can undertake their initiatives and achieve their economic growth in a rapid, equitable, stable, and sustainable way.

     I particularily liked the second part, especially the financial parts. It was the real enlightment and refreshment about how and why all the late financial crisises occured. It is also remarkable that this book is sponsored by lots of NGOs from all over the worlds, from Uppsala, Sweden; Amesterdam to Manila, Delhi and Penang, Malaysia.

     Yes, it is just 200 pages long so it lacks detailed examples of successful cases and it doesn’t say how all those alternative development policies should be applied to the desperate reality of the poorest countries in the world.

     Nevertheless, it presents us the alternatives that is proved by emprical and historical evidences. We could not just naively believe in the holy trinity of the neoliberals - free trade, financial liberalization, and globalization, waiting for the sudden development of economy, science, and the standard of living of the poor countries. We should be creative, innovative, and defiant, challenging the old school and destroying foolish idols of the past. In that try, we could truly step forward.

      I believe charities and donations alone cannot save the poor world. It is the education of science, technology, and economics - knowledge is the key that makes the poor truly free.