Colonial Origins of Comparative Development in Ghana

Mohammed Iddrisu Kambala

Journal of Development Studies, 2023, vol. 59, issue 2, 188-208

Abstract: A striking feature of Ghana’s development landscape is the stark development disparity between a relatively developed South and a trailing North. Explanations for the disparity have often been hinged on differences in geography and past colonial experience. In this study, I provide an empirical justification for the historical hypothesis that the dynamics of colonial rule contributed significantly to the development divergence between the North and the South. I exploit the asymmetric regional distribution of past colonial public investments in education, health and infrastructure to show that the dynamics of colonial rule explain a significant portion of the development disparity between the two regions. I also survey compelling historical anecdotes to show that prior to the colonial project the North was a relatively prosperous region.

Date: 2023
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Working Paper: Colonial origins of comparative development in Ghana (2022)
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DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2022.2113066

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