Disparities in Progress Among Nations

Thomas C. Mann

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1965, vol. 360, issue 1, 63-67

Abstract: There is no rigid formula for development. The important thing is whether a particular economic and social system produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people within a framework of freedom. The United States and other industrialized countries have progressed remarkably in a relatively short period of time. Time is one cause of disparities—many less developed countries have only recently begun economic and social reforms. To correct existing disparities it was assumed that aid programs would bring rapid progress. These programs were not the whole answer. Attention, therefore, has turned to trade, and in particular to preferences, as a solution. It should be remarked that United States policy has been one of liberal, nondiscriminatory trade. While trade and aid are important to development, it might be asked whether the developing countries are taking adequate self-help measures, such as the promotion of a competitive commercial environment, adequate regional trading arrangements, efficiency and rationalization of their public enterprises, stability in monetary and financial policies, a climate of business confidence, improved fiscal laws and their administration, and land reform. These reforms are illustrative of the tasks that face the developing countries.

Date: 1965
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000271626536000105 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:anname:v:360:y:1965:i:1:p:63-67

DOI: 10.1177/000271626536000105

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().