Leading issues in economic development / [edited by] Gerald M. Meier, James E. Rauch.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction. Measuring development -- Econonmic performance of less developed countries : the recent past -- The discipline of development economics -- Historical perspective -- Savings and investment -- International trade and technology transfer. Trade -- Foreign contact and technology transfer -- Human resources. Education -- Population -- Health and nutrition -- Gender and development -- Migration and the urban informal sector -- Agriculture. The importance of agriculture for economic development -- Designing an agricultural strategy -- Microeconomics of the rural sector --Agricultural pricing policy and urban bias -- Income distribution. The impact of development on income distribution -- The impact of income distribution on development -- Case studies -- Political economy. The (proper) role of the state in less developed countries -- Rent seeking and government failure -- State capacity -- Development and the economy