Table Of ContentThe Role of Elites in Economic Development
UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
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The Role of Elites in
Economic Development
Edited by
Alice H. Amsden, Alisa DiCaprio, and James A. Robinson
AstudypreparedfortheWorldInstituteforDevelopmentEconomicsResearch
oftheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-WIDER)
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This book is dedicated to our friend and co-editor Alice Amsden who
passedawaybeforeseeingitinprint.Hermischievoussenseofhumour
animated the conference that led to this volume, and her intellectual
guidance shaped its outcome. Alice always took the unconventional
path in her exploration of the development process—we hope this
bookwillinspireotherstodothesame.
AD,JR
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Foreword
The actions of today’s global elite define in large measure the way in which
globaldevelopments,includingthetriplecrisisoffinance,food,andclimate
change, is being played out. We look to elites as both the cause of and the
solution to the problems we face in economic development. In the crisis
context,thereisastrongfocusonglobalelites.Butexistingworkonincome
inequalityremindsusthattounderstandtheroleofelites,weneedtounder-
standtheirpositionwithinthenationaldevelopmentcontexts.
The study of elites is an inherently multidisciplinary endeavour which is
reflected by the presence of rich veins of research on the topic in many
academic disciplines. Too often there is little interaction between scholars
in these differentareas becauseof diverse vocabulariesand analyticallenses.
At a UNU-WIDERconference—heldinHelsinkion14–16June2009—wespe-
cifically sought to bridge the disciplinary divide. Some 150 scholars partici-
patedinourefforttotakestockofwhatweknowabouttheplaceofelitesin
society,andinthegrowthanddevelopmentprocesses.Throughout,wetried
tokeepinmindourobjectiveofofferingpolicyoptions.Thechaptersinthis
volume demonstrate that the role of elites touches upon a complex set of
issues. This volume cuts across disciplines and methodologies, providing
multidisciplinary insights. The authors include economists, sociologists,
anthropologists, and political scientists. They take both global and national
perspectivestoadvanceourunderstandingofthebehaviourandengagement
ofelitesinthefieldofdevelopment.
This effort is particularly relevant to development policy because as pro-
poor frameworks have become prominent, the question of how to engage
eliteshasbecomethesubjectofincreasingdiscussion.Statecapacity-building
and reform is in large measure enacted by elites. Those with political and
commercial influence can direct the trajectory of society and the spread of
inequality.Andasmoresocietiesthaneveraretiedintotheglobaleconomy,
elitesarethosebestpositionedtotakeadvantageofopportunitiesforknowl-
edge transfer and innovation—and come up with workable solutions to the
challengesfacedbyhumankind.
Foreword
Theissuestreatedinthisvolumeprovideanimportantcontextformanyof
the difficult development issues we face in today’s global environment. By
gaining an understanding of how elites affect the different facets of the
developmentprocess,wecanbetterunderstandhowtodesigncountryassis-
tance that engages their strengths to facilitate growth and address poverty.
Iamdelightedthatthisvolumehasbeencreatedandtrustitwillbecomeakey
referenceintheliteratureonthisveryimportanttopic.
UNU-WIDER gratefully acknowledges the financial contributions to the
research programme by the governments of Denmark (Royal Ministry of
ForeignAffairs),Finland(MinistryforForeignAffairs),Sweden(SwedishInter-
nationalDevelopmentCooperationAgency—Sida),andtheUnitedKingdom
(DepartmentforInternationalDevelopment).
FinnTarp,Director
UNU-WIDER,Helsinki
viii
Contents
ListofFigures xi
ListofTables xiii
ListofAbbreviations xvi
NotesonContributors xviii
1. Introduction:TheRoleofElitesinEconomicDevelopment 1
AlisaDiCaprio
PartI. TheoreticalConsiderations
2. ElitesandPropertyRights 19
AliceH.Amsden
3. ElitesandInstitutionalPersistence 29
JamesA.Robinson
PartII. TheFormationandCirculationofElites
4. TheInternationalCirculationofElites:Knowledge,
EntrepreneurialandPolitical 53
AndrésSolimanoandDiegoAvanzini
5. FruitoftheVine?AnAugmentedEndowments-Inequality
HypothesisandtheRiseofanEliteintheCapeColony 87
JohanFourieandDietervonFintel
6. TwoforthePriceofOne?TheContributiontoDevelopmentof
theNewFemaleElites 120
AlisonWolf
7. NewLightonChina’sRuralElites 140
BjörnAndersGustafssonandSaiDing
PartIII. ThePreferencesofElites
8. PovertyintheEyesofBrazilianElites 179
ElisaP.Reis
