The Mysteries of Development: Studies Using Political Elasticity Theory

by Herbert H. Werlin

Overview

Mysteries of Development combines the fields of development studies, comparative administration, and comparative politics to introduce a unified theory of administration and politics called political elasticity theory. The author deals with a series of important questions related to decentralization, corruption, democratization, political culture, and foreign aid, showing that politics, when correctly understood, is more powerful than organization, culture, and economics. He provides well documented case studies, extraordinary comparisons between more developed and less developed countries, as well as between African and Asian countries that clarify and demonstrate the importance of political elasticity theory in both a theoretical and practical context. The Mysteries of Development was featured in the Septemberr 2000 issue of PS (Political Science and Politics), and will be featured in a forthcoming Public Administration Review article.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761811794
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/11/1998
Pages:	418
Product dimensions:	5.96(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.25(d)

About the Author

Herbert Werlin is a former editor of a newsletter for the World Bank, a retired faculty member in the Urban Studies Department at the University of Maryland, and is an independent consultant.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Understanding Development: Using Political Elasticity Theory
Chapter 3 Political Software: Understanding What Works
Chapter 4 Breaking Administrative Bottlenecks: With Truisms
Chapter 5 Linking Decentralization to Centralization
Chapter 6 The New Development Administration (NDA): A Disappointing Literature
Chapter 7 Partisanship Versus Statesmanship: Understanding Corruption
Chapter 8 Democracy and Development: The Case for a Linkage
Chapter 9 Politics Versus Culture: Which is Stronger?
Chapter 10 Ghana and South Korea: Explaining Development Disparities
Chapter 11 Conclusion: Treating Political Illness
Chapter 12 References and Citation Index
Chapter 13 Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

.. . from the standpoint of history and its use for applied administrative theory building, Werlin demonstrates how autobiography, ideas, and experiences can be mixed, analyzed, then judiciously related to seminal academic issues of our time for theory building as well as problem solving.

Public Administration Review

. . . from the standpoint of history and its use for applied administrative theory building, Werlin demonstrates how autobiography, ideas, and experiences can be mixed, analyzed, then judiciously related to seminal academic issues of our time for theory building as well as problem solving.--Public Administration Review

An interesting political theory, notably called the political elasticity theory, has been developed by the author to explain some of the mysteries of development.--International Institute Of Administrative Sciences

In the tradition of Max Weber, Talcott Parsons, Reinhard Bendix, and other sociologist "greats," Werlin draws together an impressive swath of theoretical research and practical first hand observations...--Public Administration Review

From the Publisher

An interesting political theory, notably called the political elasticity theory, has been developed by the author to explain some of the mysteries of development.

International Institute Of Administrative Sciences

Presents a unified theory of political and economic development in African and Asian nations, which suggests that leaders are more effective when they link "hard" and "soft" forms of power using appropriate forms of political organization. Calling his theory "political elasticity" theory, the author applies it to a number of case examples in Lagos, Tokyo, Ghana, and South Korea, and offers examples of how the theory could be utilized to help foster development. He contends that his theory explains the differences between Asian and African nations without relying on cultural explanations. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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