Multi-Membership and the Effectiveness of Regional Trade Agreements in Western and Southern Africa: A Comparative Study of ECOWAS and SADC

Using a gravity model for 35 countries and the years 1995-2006 we estimate the impact of regional trade agreements in Africa (in particular ECOWAS and SADC) and compare this to the a benchmark of North South trade integration (Europe’s preferential trade agreement). We find that • ECOWAS and SADC membership significantly increases bilateral trade flows (and by more than for example preferential trade agreements with the EU do), • SADC membership has a stronger impact compared to ECOWAS and • that the impact of multi-membership critically depends on the characteristics of the overlapping RTA. We find a positive impact if an additional membership complements the integration process of the original RTA: overlapping memberships had a significant positive effect on bilateral trade within the ECOWAS bloc but it is insignificant for SADC

Only pluralism in economics research and education is compatible with a democratic society

Do we need a Green economics different from mainstream neoclassical economics? The position taken here is that exclusive reliance on neoclassical economics (with its extension to environmental economics) will not be enough in guiding us towards a sustainable society. Neoclassical economics is specific not only in scientific but also in ideological terms and the combined conceptual and ideological message of neoclassical economics is part of the problems faced rather than any solution. Neoclassical economics has to compete with other theoretical and ideological perspectives. In this article an attempt is made to systematically compare elements of neoclassical economics, such as assumptions about the Economic Man, profit-maximising firms and markets, in terms of supply and demand with alternative conceptual and ideological/ethical premises, thus suggesting one possible version of a Green economics.green economics; pluralism; political economic person; PEP; political economic organisations; PEO; ideological orientation; democracy; sustainable society.

Economics and Ecology: Development Concepts

This paper asks whether environmental economics of the neoclassical type ts all that 1s needed to deal eff1c1ently with problems of the environment and natural resources, or whether a m1sf1t extsts between the problems on the one hand and the mainstream paradigm on the other. To the extent that enVIronmental problems are formulated through neoclass1cal spectacles, such a m1sf1t will not occur. But some politicians and citizens who regard the environment as a top prionty issue are not altogether satisfied with the neoclass1cal way of formulatmg environmental problems. Looking upon the problems through some other spectacles, such as mstitut1onal economics, may add to ones possibilities to articulate environmental policies. This paper focusses on development concepts related to the environment such as ecological 1mperat1ves for public policy and ecodevelopmen