54 min listen
William Easterly on Benevolent Autocrats and Growth
FromEconTalk
ratings:
Length:
65 minutes
Released:
May 30, 2011
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
William Easterly of New York University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the oft-heard claim that poor countries led by autocrats grow faster than poor countries that are democratic. Drawing on a recent paper, "Benevolent Autocrats," Easterly argues that while some autocracies do indeed grow very quickly, a much greater number do not. Yet, the idea that the messiness of democracy is inferior to a dictatorship remains seductive. Easterly gives a number of arguments for the perennial appeal of autocracy as a growth strategy. The conversation closes with a discussion of the limitations of our knowledge about growth and where that leaves policymakers.
Released:
May 30, 2011
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Peltzman on Regulation: Sam Peltzman of the University of Chicago talks about his pioneering studies of automobile safety, FDA pharmaceutical regulation, and the unintended consequences that safety regulation can produce. by EconTalk