Comments on: The IMF debates the crisis and industrial policy https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/the-imf-debates-the-crisis-and-industrial-policy/ How active citizens and effective states can change the world Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:33:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.15 By: Duncan https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/the-imf-debates-the-crisis-and-industrial-policy/#comment-1137 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:18:52 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=2202#comment-1137 for some local press coverage of the event, check out http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Social-Isssues/197942/Social-protection-essential-for-growth-.html

]]> By: Phillip https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/the-imf-debates-the-crisis-and-industrial-policy/#comment-1136 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:16:32 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=2202#comment-1136 Thanks for the post. I think it’s pretty clear that the global financial crisis has accelerated the trend of poor countries moving to look to Asia rather than the U.S./free markets as appropriate development models. Having SOME form of industrial policy is getting harder to dispute. (Though the question of effective government remains.) Development experts need to let go of the misleading question “Industrial policy: yes or no?” and start asking themselves “what is the appropriate industrial policy in this country given government capacity and other factors?”. Though the answer may be “none” for some countries, that certainly won’t be the case for all.

]]> By: Stephen Jones https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/the-imf-debates-the-crisis-and-industrial-policy/#comment-1135 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:05:57 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=2202#comment-1135 Still liking the wonkus although this one seemed more a tease into the main article than a summary.

I’m sure in a “Yes, Prime Minister” episode from years ago it was carefully explained that decisions were all agreed in advance of summits by the civil servants, since politicians were so jetlagged, and power shouldn’t be left ‘in the hands of the zonked’.

Did the IMF speakers give any ideas of tangible proposals that they think would improve long-term stability post-crisis?

Did Wade give any other examples of where he sees other countries’ industrial policies sitting on this scale? Are others (aparting from Taiwan) finding a useful balance?

Duncan: Yes Minister has usually got there first, so no surprise there. Wade takes his examples from East Asia, but only mentioned Taiwan yesterday. One specific proposal was to emulate the Taiwanese in having civil service bodies whose job is to go round emerging small and medium enterprises and assess their needs, put them in touch with suitable foreign investors etc – Robert called it ‘Industrial extension’ analogous to ‘agricultural extension’. Spoke to one Vietnamese insider today who thought his suggestions were very useful, and saw Wade’s presence (and Oxfam’s) as a sign of positive change at the IMF.

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