Alexander Gerschenkron
Alexander Gerschenkron (1904–1978) was a Russian-American economic historian and professor at Harvard University, best known for his work on economic backwardness and the patterns of industrial development in historical perspective. His influential essay 'Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective' argued that the more backward an economy was at the outset of industrialization, the more likely certain conditions would lead to rapid growth and that different paths could be taken to modernize. His ideas have had a lasting impact on development economics and economic history.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective
"Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective" is a collection of essays that explore the patterns and causes of economic underdevelopment through historical analysis. The book challenges the notion that all countries must follow the same path to development as taken by early industrialized nations. Instead, it argues that later-developing countries can achieve growth by leveraging their historical and institutional contexts, often through state intervention and the adoption of different industrial strategies. The work emphasizes the role of banks and financial institutions in fostering industrial growth and discusses how varying degrees of economic backwardness influence the strategies and policies that nations adopt for economic development.
The 3266th Greatest Book of All Time
