Overview

Since the end of World War II, economicsts have tried to figure out how poor countries in the tropics could attain standards of living approaching those of countries in Europe and North America. A myriad of remedies has not delivered the solutions promised. The problem is not the failure of economics, William Easterly argues, but the failure to apply economic principle to practical policy work.
In this book, Easterly shows how these solutions all violate the basic principle of economics, that people-private individuals and businesses, government officials, even aid donors-respond to incentives. Written in an accessible, at times irreverent, style, Easterly's book combines modern growth theory with anecdotes from his fieldwork for the World Bank.

Reviews

"The Elusive Quest for Growth is a terrific book. Those who read it will put it down chastened, instructed and entertained." -The Economist

""This is impossible to convey the depth and range of The Elusive Quest for Growth. Not only does it offer a persuasive argument but it summarizes, readably, a vast amount of research, making it come to life with real-world examples." -Bruce Bartlett, Wall Street Journal

"This is a brilliant, original work. It is simply the best book I know of on economic development. Easterly writes with clarity, honesty, and humor. And he is courageous in his analysis of what went wrong with the development policies followed by the World Bank." -Sergio Rebelo, Tokai Bank Distinguished Professor of International Finance, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University

"Every college student who protests against free trade...should read this extraordinary book. Easterly presents both the power of simple economic models of the development process and the painfully disappointing track record of official development assistance. He writes beautifully and cares deeply about his subject."-Paul Romer, Graduate School of Business, Stanford

"William Easterly knows his way not only around economics but also around the developing world. He has written hard-nosed book about the hardest problem of all; how to get the poorest countries on a path of sustained growth." -Robert M. Solow, Institute Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Nobel Laureate in Economics (1987)

"[Easterly] wears the good-humored but weary resignation of a lifetime idealist mugged at last by reality." -Ken Ringle, Washington Post

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