The Political Economy of Change

by Ilchman, Warren Frederick; Uphoff, Norman Thomas

• ISBN13: 9781560009610
• ISBN10: 1560009616
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-04-01
• Publisher: Transaction Pub

Summary

Ilchman and Uphoff believe that political science has failed in the past to meet its own standards of rigor and cogency and does not meet standards of usefulness and relevance set by others. The Political Economy of Change attempts to remedy these shortcomings by expanding the limits of social science analysis to deal with problems of allocation and productivity in all spheres of public choice, not just the economic sphere.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION	xiii	(20)
PREFACE	xxxiii
I. WHY POLITICAL ECONOMY?	3	(23)
Consider the Situation of Colonel Yakubu Gowon. How Could Colonel Gowon Best Choose Among Alternative Courses of Action?	5	(2)
What Could a Political Scientist Advise Colonel Gowon?	7	(5)
What Can Economists Advise about Political Change and Development?	12	(3)
What Kind of Social Science Model Is Needed for Political Relevance?	15	(3)
How Have Political and Social Science Contributed to Such a Model? The State as an Organization--Political Resources--Politics as Interaction and Exchange--Political Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Investment--Propensities--Conflict--Choice	18	(8)
II. THE NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY	26	(23)
The Productivity of Politics	29	(4)
Political Markets and Politicization	30	(2)
Political Resources as the Bases of Power	32	(1)
Alternative Uses of Political Resources	33	(6)
Coping With and Inducing Social and Economic Change	34	(1)
Remaining in Authority in the Present and Future	34	(1)
Building Political and Administrative Infrastructure	35	(1)
The Necessity of Choice	36	(3)
The Statesman's Political Environment	39	(8)
Analysis of Sectors	39	(2)
Ideologies, Propensities, and Time Horizons	41	(1)
Stratification of the Political Community	42	(5)
Uses of the New Political Economy	47	(2)
III. POLITICAL RESOURCES	49	(43)
Uses of Resources	51	(2)
Flows of Resources	53	(1)
Political Currencies	54	(2)
Supplies and Demands	56	(2)
The Factors of Political Production	58	(28)
Economic Goods and Services	58	(2)
Status	60	(7)
Information	67	(3)
Force	70	(3)
Legitimacy	73	(8)
Authority	81	(5)
Compliance	86	(3)
Ambiguous Factors	89	(3)
IV. POLITICAL EXCHANGE	92	(44)
Markets	95	(4)
Nationalization	96	(2)
Politicization	98	(1)
Supply and Demand	99	(10)
Exchange Rates or Price	99	(4)
Performance and Sanction	103	(2)
Elasticity of Supply and Demand Diminishing Returns--Diminishing Marginal Utility--The Concept of Elasticity--Comparison of Value	105	(4)
Regime Exchanges with Sectors	109	(5)
Status, Wealth, and Authority	110	(1)
Legitimacy and Authority	111	(3)
Political Behavior	114	(4)
Propensities	114	(2)
Parameters	116	(2)
Bargaining	118	(18)
Resource Positions	120	(1)
Tactics	121	(1)
Strategy Altering the Core Combination--Raising Revenue--Educational Reform	122	(14)
V. POLITICAL INFLATION AND DEFLATION	136	(24)
Price Stability and Regime Stability	137	(3)
Political Inflation and Hyper-Inflation	140	(4)
Political Deflation and Depression	144	(5)
Sector Inflation and Deflation	149	(1)
Political Stagnation	150	(1)
Anti-Inflationary and Anti-Deflationary Measures	151	(4)
Depreciation and Appreciation	155	(2)
Monopoly and Monopsony	157	(3)
VI. POLITICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT	160	(20)
Regime Policies	161	(12)
Monetary Policy	161	(1)
Fiscal Policy	162	(2)
Taxation	164	(3)
Budget and Plan	167	(4)
Disposable Income	171	(2)
Productive Distributions of Resources	173	(7)
Reduction of Extreme Disparities	173	(3)
Equalization of Resources	176	(4)
VII. POLITICAL RESOURCE ACCUMULATION	180	(28)
Capital Formation	181	(6)
Mobilization of Sectors	187	(4)
Saving	191	(3)
Interest	194	(5)
Debt	195	(3)
Interest Rates	198	(1)
Investment	199	(4)
Types of Investment	201	(1)
Returns on Investment	202	(1)
Entrepreneurship	203	(5)
VIII. POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE	208	(48)
Characteristics of Political and Administrative Infrastructure	209	(16)
Political Infrastructure	225	(19)
Regime Political Party	225	(8)
Auxiliary Organizations	233	(1)
Opposition Party	233	(2)
Elections	235	(1)
Local and Regional Government	235	(4)
Ideology	239	(2)
Economic Development Plan	241	(2)
Other Political Infrastructure	243	(1)
Administrative Infrastructure	244	(5)
Public Bureaucracy	244	(3)
Army	247	(1)
Other Administrative Infrastructure	248	(1)
Communications Media	249	(4)
Education	253	(3)
IX. THE APPLICATION OF POLITICAL ECONOMY	256	(31)
Political Economy and Public Policy	257	(15)
Policy Research as the Verification of Social Science Theory	258	(2)
Explanation in Social Science: Some Cost-Benefit Considerations	260	(2)
Examples of Efforts at Explanation Stimulating Entrepreneurship and Investment in Industries--Achievement Motivation, Rebellion against Traditional Society, Unbalancing Investments, Economic Incentives; Reducing Bureaucratic Corruption--Creating a Pluralistic Society, Calculating Costs and Benefits	262	(8)
Assessing and Choosing Strategies: Implications for Social Science Research	270	(2)
Some Issues of Measurement and Prediction	272	(9)
The Significance of Political Resources	274	(3)
Some Assumptions of Political Economy	277	(2)
Political Man and Intentionality	279	(2)
Political Ethics and Political Economy	281	(6)
Political Rationality	283	(2)
Ethics as Choice	285	(2)
REFERENCES CITED	287	(16)
AUTHOR INDEX	303	(4)
SUBJECT INDEX	307