The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures
The article argues that theories of economic development are metaphors which have a strong mythical content, albeit unacknowledged by social scientists. The policies derived from such theories have two agendas: a 'positive' agenda that states which problems should be tackled and how; and a...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
2002-01-01
|
| Series: | Nova Economia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.face.ufmg.br/novaeconomia/sumarios/v12n1/v12n1erber.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811211748395450368 |
|---|---|
| author | Fabio Stefano Erber |
| author_facet | Fabio Stefano Erber |
| author_sort | Fabio Stefano Erber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article argues that theories of economic development are metaphors which have a strong mythical content, albeit unacknowledged by social scientists. The policies derived from such theories have two agendas: a 'positive' agenda that states which problems should be tackled and how; and a 'negative' agenda that contains issues and policies to be avoided. This approach is used to interpret the hegemonic view of development, as stated by the Washington Consensus, showing that such view contains all ingredients of a millenary myth - the crossing of the Desert towards a Promised Land. The two agendas of this view of development, which have ruled the Brazilian development strategy of the second half of the nineties, are then analyzed as applied to the Brazilian case. Finally, the article discusses alternative approaches to the present view of development, arguing for open-ended metaphors, as expressed by the Ulysses myth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:17:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cfdc57b488cc4969b7672d9d30670a1a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0103-6351 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:17:24Z |
| publishDate | 2002-01-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nova Economia |
| spelling | doaj.art-cfdc57b488cc4969b7672d9d30670a1a2022-12-22T03:46:35ZengUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisNova Economia0103-63512002-01-011211137The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structuresFabio Stefano ErberThe article argues that theories of economic development are metaphors which have a strong mythical content, albeit unacknowledged by social scientists. The policies derived from such theories have two agendas: a 'positive' agenda that states which problems should be tackled and how; and a 'negative' agenda that contains issues and policies to be avoided. This approach is used to interpret the hegemonic view of development, as stated by the Washington Consensus, showing that such view contains all ingredients of a millenary myth - the crossing of the Desert towards a Promised Land. The two agendas of this view of development, which have ruled the Brazilian development strategy of the second half of the nineties, are then analyzed as applied to the Brazilian case. Finally, the article discusses alternative approaches to the present view of development, arguing for open-ended metaphors, as expressed by the Ulysses myth.http://www.face.ufmg.br/novaeconomia/sumarios/v12n1/v12n1erber.pdfmythseconomic policyinstitutional changeproductive structurehistory |
| spellingShingle | Fabio Stefano Erber The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures Nova Economia myths economic policy institutional change productive structure history |
| title | The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures |
| title_full | The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures |
| title_fullStr | The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures |
| title_short | The Brazilian development in the nineties - myths, circles, and structures |
| title_sort | brazilian development in the nineties myths circles and structures |
| topic | myths economic policy institutional change productive structure history |
| url | http://www.face.ufmg.br/novaeconomia/sumarios/v12n1/v12n1erber.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fabiostefanoerber thebraziliandevelopmentintheninetiesmythscirclesandstructures AT fabiostefanoerber braziliandevelopmentintheninetiesmythscirclesandstructures |