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Kicking Away the Ladder

Development Strategy in Historical Perspective

Ha-Joon Chang author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Anthem Press

Published:1st Jul '02

Should be back in stock very soon

Kicking Away the Ladder cover

Exposes the attempts by developed countries to 'kick away the ladder' from developing countries trying to join the economic elite.

How did the rich countries really become rich?  In this provocative study, Ha-Joon Chang examines the great pressure on developing countries from the developed world to adopt certain 'good policies' and 'good institutions', seen today as necessary for economic development. His conclusions are compelling and disturbing: that developed countries are attempting to 'kick away the ladder' with which they have climbed to the top, thereby preventing developing countries from adopting policies and institutions that they themselves have used.

'The most important book about the world economy to be published in years.' —'Prospect'


‘Highly relevant to today’s debates about the role of policies and institutions in development as well as the role of government in general… It is a great contribution, not least for its historical approach, and will continue to influence the debate on development.’ —Seb Bytyçi, ‘ID: International Dialogue, A Multidisciplinary Journal of World Affairs’


'This book is a joy: a fantastically useful teaching aid…a very necessary historical conscience in an age of amnesia.' —'The Business Economist'


'This is an intriguing book that raises important issues. Recommended.' —J. M. Nowakowski, Muskingum College, in ‘Choice’

  • Winner of The Myrdal Prize 2003

ISBN: 9781843310273

Dimensions: 234mm x 155mm x 26mm

Weight: 454g

196 pages