In the Shadow of Violence
Politics, Economics, and the Problems of Development

This book explains how political control of economic privileges is used to limit violence and coordinate coalitions of powerful organizations.

Douglass C. North (Edited by), John Joseph Wallis (Edited by), Steven B. Webb (Edited by), Barry R. Weingast (Edited by)

9781107684911, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 12 November 2012

378 pages, 12 b/w illus. 2 maps 42 tables
22.6 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.5 kg

'North, Wallis, and Weingast come down to earth to apply their ideas to the details of poor countries' problems and institutions. Finally we are headed in the right direction. I hope Jim Kim buys everyone at the World Bank a copy; it won't leave my desk for years.' James Robinson, Harvard University

This book applies the conceptual framework of Douglass C. North, John Joseph Wallis and Barry R. Weingast's Violence and Social Orders (Cambridge University Press, 2009) to nine developing countries. The cases show how political control of economic privileges is used to limit violence and coordinate coalitions of powerful organizations. Rather than castigating politicians and elites as simply corrupt, the case studies illustrate why development is so difficult to achieve in societies where the role of economic organizations is manipulated to provide political balance and stability. The volume develops the idea of limited-access social order as a dynamic social system in which violence is constantly a threat and political and economic outcomes result from the need to control violence rather than promoting economic growth or political rights.

1. Limited access orders: an introduction to the conceptual framework Douglass C. North, John Joseph Wallis, Steven B. Webb and Barry R. Weingast
2. Bangladesh: economic growth in a vulnerable LAO Mushtaq H. Khan
3. Fragile states, elites, and rents in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Kai Kaiser and Stephanie Wolters
4. Seeking the elusive developmental knife-edge: Zambia and Mozambique – a tale of two countries Brian Levy
5. Limited access orders: the Philippines Gabriella R. Montinola
6. India's vulnerable maturity: experiences of Maharashtra and West Bengal Pallavi Roy
7. Entrenched insiders: limited access order in Mexico Alberto Diaz-Cayeros
8. From limited access to open access order in Chile, take two Patricio Navia
9. Transition from a limited access order to an open access order: the case of South Korea Jong-Sung You
10. Lessons: in the shadow of violence Douglass North, John Wallis, Steven Webb and Barry Weingast.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], Political economy [KCP], Development economics & emerging economies [KCM], Political science & theory [JPA], Violence in society [JFFE]