Opomíjená heterogenita lidí aneb Proč Afrika dlouhodobě neroste / On forgotten heterogeneity and absence of long-term growth in Africa [available in Czech only]

Abstract

There is hardly any bigger economic tragedy than poor economic development of sub-Saharan Africa. The persistent character of its slow growth or even decline is not possible to explain when using standard growth theories and cross-coutry data. We have suggested a classification framework for existing theories and it allowed us to show that all these approaches (despite their broadness and different policy implications) assume that people’s preferences everywhere in the world can be embodied in Homo oeconomicus concept. Growth incompatible behavior is then explained by unfavorable environment being it geography, colonial legacy or bad policy environment. Our aim is to highlight that current concepts omit the possible heterogeneity of people resulting from culture, very poor education level and health conditions. In our view, explanation of African specific behavioral patterns can contribute to deeper understanding, why there is lack of investments and lack of specialization; and thus why there is no growth in sub-Saharan Africa.economic growth; sub-Saharan Africa; poverty trap; governance; behavioral patterns