“[It is] one of the most original and important books about Africa in years.”
Financial Times.
“[It is] one of the most original and important books about Africa in years.”
Financial Times
The acclaimed author of How Asia Works brings his “concise, well-written and intellectually rich” (Financial Times) reports to Africa, revealing essential and promising lessons about the drivers of economic growth across the continent.After twenty years of studying the Asian economy, Joe Studwell's acclaimed book How Asia Works reveals the key policies behind the meteoric growth of the "Asian Tigers." The question he kept hearing from those who were inspired by his deep understanding of global development was:
What about Africa? He was finally convinced to investigate further when inquiries began to come from Africans themselves. Thus began a decade of research, travel, and field reports.Studwell predicted that Africa's difficult geography and its devastating legacy of colonialism would necessitate a unique development recipe.
But what surprised him was that the African countries that succeeded did so by adopting the same strategies as their Asian counterparts – strategies that differed significantly from those imposed on Africa by the international community.It explores these successful policies through four countries that have experienced exceptional economic growth (Botswana, Mauritius, Ethiopia, and Rwanda), which demonstrate both the promise and challenge of the African context.
Studwell highlights the achievements of local leaders, emphasizing that prosperity is within reach, and that accelerating population growth - which many find alarming - will be essential for Africa's prosperity.How Africa Works is essential and optimistic reading for anyone seeking to understand the next phase of global development.
