Policy reform in developing countries

This volume addresses itself to questions of policy reform in developing countries. It brings together essays the author wrote between March 1974 and October 1976 as a policy adviser to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, Egypt, Portugal, and Korea and the Junta of the Andean Common Market. The essays represent applica tions of the general principles of policy reform that are contained in the contribution introducing the volume.

In order to ensure comparability, the essays selected for the volume all deal with countries that have already established an industrial base. The countries in question also have in common that they are in the process of reappraising various aspects of the economic policies followed. At the same time, there exist considerable differences among them as to the actual circumstances and conditions relevant to policy making.

The essay on Mexico was written under the auspices of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, while its annex was prepared for a conference organized by the Association Nacional de Economistas Consultores in Mexico City. In turn, the essay on Portugal was presented at a conference on the Portuguese economy, spon sored by the Gulbenkian Foundation and the German Marshall Fund. Finally, the essays on Venezuela, Chile, the Andean Common Market, Egypt and Korea were writ ten in the framework of policy advising carried out under the auspices of the World Bank. The lead essay in the volume was also prepared as part of a consultant arrange ment with the World Bank.

In all instances, the author acted as an adviser to the individual governments and the essays are published with their concurrence. The author wishes to express his appreciation to government officials and economists in the individual countries for their interest and support and to the governments concerned for agreeing to the publication of the essays. However, the essays express the opinions of the author and should not be interpreted to represent the views of particular governments or international organizations.