The New Economics of Growth; A Strategy for India and the Developing World

xv, [1], 335, [1] pages. Footnotes. Tables. Appendix. General Index. Index of Persons. Inscribed by the author on the fep. The inscription reads To Phil Burnbom [sp?] with best regards John Mellor. The dust jacket has wear, tears, chips and soiling. This is a Twentieth Century Fund Study. John Williams Mellor (born December 28, 1928) is a French-born American economist, known for his work in the field of economic and agricultural development in third world countries. In 1985, he was awarded the Wihuri International Prize. A Fulbright Scholar, he spent most of his academic career at his alma mater, Cornell University. In the early 1970s, he became an economist for USAID, eventually becoming their chief economist in 1976. He then became the second director-general of the International Food Policy Research Institute in 1977, where he remained until 1990. He has authored numerous books and articles. A top specialist here offers a bold new blueprint for economic development. Mr. Mellor draws on his vast experience in the field to design a a strategy for alleviating poverty in the underdeveloped world by increasing the participation of the poor in the growth process. Pointing out the inadequacies of current development practices,Mr. Mellor sets forth a high-employment strategy centered on increased agricultural production. He tests his plan in the context of India--the stronghold of the capital intensive approach to development, which has so far produced disappointing rates of growth and little or no improvement in the economic condition of lower-income groups. He takes a close look a at the sources of current development in India, diagnoses the successes and failiures of the system, and offers step-by-step projections of growth patterns under his approach. While emhasizing the significance of the agricultural sector, he stresses the interrelationships among agriculture, indusry, trade, aid, social welfare programs and the planning process itself. Mr. Mellor does not minimize the extraordinary adjustments needed to shift from one plan to another, but his proposals are realistic and positive. His book will stimulate constructive debate about India's economic future and may well have a vital impact on the future welfare of the developing world.…