Markets and States in Tropical Africa: The Political Basis of Agricultural Policies / Robert H. Bates

Following independence, most countries in Africa sought to develop, but their governments pursued policies that actually undermined their rural economies. Examining the origins of Africa s growth tragedy, Markets and States in Tropical Africa has for decades shaped the thinking of practitioners and scholars alike. Robert H. Bates s analysis now faces a challenge, however: the revival of economic growth on the continent. In this edition, Bates provides a new preface and chapter that address the seeds of Africa s recovery and discuss the significance of the continent s success for the arguments of this classic work.