Development Economics I

Economic development is a process of structural change that facilitates a sustained rise in the living standards of the population as a whole. From this follows that structural change (and thus discontinuities) rather than economic growth alone are emphasised, and that the distribution of the gains from economic growth is a central issue.

This course provides an introductory overview of current economic development issues (i.e. structural economic issues) as they are encountered particularly in South Africa or in other African countries The debate about the nature of apartheid and its legacy and about the post-apartheid economy is naturally central to any course on economic development in South Africa.

Course instructor: Servaas van der Berg, Ronelle Burger, Krige Siebrits and Nic Spaull

Work programme