论文部分内容阅读
在过去的20年中,经济增长再次成为主流经济学的热门研究课题。《在经济增长的迷雾中求索》书尖锐地批评一个又一个的所谓启动经济增长的“灵丹妙药”。这些药方大多是从经济理论中推导出来的政策。但事实证明它们在现实中大多是无效的。这些药方:包括增加外国对穷国的援助、增加国内投资、提高教育水平、减少人口、与改革挂钩的外国援助、外债减免等等,它们都没有起到提高穷国经济增长的作用。这不是一个理论问题,而是一个经验(empirical)问题。为什么呢?这不是经济学的失败,而是没有很好地运用经济学的基本原则,这就是有关人的激励问题。没有“把激励搞对”是发展中国家经济增长的最大障碍。“把激励搞对”是不是又一付灵丹妙药呢?它只是一个经济学原则,而不是一剂处方。把这一原则付诸实践,必须根据具体情况加以实施。
In the past two decades, economic growth has once again become a hot research topic in mainstream economics. “Pursuing the Fog in Economic Growth” book sharply criticizes one after another the so-called “miraculous cure” for starting economic growth. Most of these prescriptions are derived from the economic theory of the policy. However, it turns out that they are mostly ineffective in reality. These prescriptions include increasing foreign assistance to poor countries, increasing domestic investment, raising education levels, reducing population, reform-linked foreign aid, foreign debt relief and the like, all of which have failed to enhance the economic growth in poor countries. This is not a theoretical question, but an empirical question. Why? This is not a failure of economics but a failure to properly apply the basic principles of economics. This is the incentive issue for people. It is the biggest obstacle to the economic growth in developing countries that there is no “right incentive.” Is it another miraculous cure to “get the incentive right?” It is an economic principle, not a prescription. Putting this principle into practice must be implemented on a case by case basis.