development

Natural Disasters: A Drain in the Most Crucial Regions of Economic Development

Natural Disasters: A Drain in the Most Crucial Regions of Economic Development

CHUYN via iStockPhoto As hurricane season approaches its end following historic destruction in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, it is more important than ever to pay attention to the economic disasters that can accompany them. Natural disasters have devastating effects, and with climate change exacerbating the strength and frequency of these tragic events, they become even more relevant in the discussion of local economies. The issue of disasters is especially relevant in the Southeast, as Texas, Florida and Louisiana lead the nation in the associated costs of weather events. Florida alone suffered a 7.5-10% hit to GDP as a result…
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Authoritarian Success Stories? Evaluating Amartya Sen’s “Development as Freedom” in the Unfree World

Authoritarian Success Stories? Evaluating Amartya Sen’s “Development as Freedom” in the Unfree World

iStock photo by imaginima (2021) By: Claire Chen Amartya Sen’s “Development as Freedom” examines a provocative question posed by authoritarian governments and their sympathizers: does economic development truly necessitate liberal political values, especially in today’s developing world? Such a question becomes especially interesting in the context of Asia’s rapidly industrializing economies. While it is true that some wealthy nations have stable democratic governments, most notably post-WWII Japan, the relationship between prosperity and liberalism is not always clear-cut. South Korea and Taiwan are relatively affluent democracies today, but their authoritarian stints, which both lasted until 1987, could be compatible with economic…
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