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The Asian economic handbook
126X
WORLD
DEVELOPMENT
to Inregruted Pest Managetnent in Rice itt Tropicrrl Asiu. Manila: International Rice Research Insti-
tute (IRRI)/Arlington. VA: national. (411 pp.. paperback,
Winrock $20.95).
practitioners would be better those just noted.
served
by some of
Inter-
IRRI and its sister institutions have done much of the basic research on integrated pest managrment. so it is not surprising to see a group project from IRRI produce a sourcebook on the subject for training extension workers. The text is in plain English, but the arresting and effective illustrations, more than X00 thereof. dominate the volume and make much of it accessible for even the marginally literate. After a brief introduction to rice plant structure and growth, organization of the text follows the plant cycle; pest in the soil; pests at the vegetative stage. the reproducti1.e stage. and the ripening stage. Rice diseases and weed and animal pests are then studied individually. One sees what pests and diseases look like. how they develop. and what the trade-offs are for various remedies. The limits of both natural and chemical approaches are indicated as the basis for an integrated approach. As IRRI outlines the strategy. it is a variation of farming systems research with both the strengths and wcaknesseh of that model. As in many such studies, politics and institutions arc too briefly considered. But as a reference work to pests and diseases this will he of much use to training and self-education.
N. Cr. (1YXX) Rural Devdoptnet~t: A in India 198S4h. Rajendrangar, Hyderabad: National Institute of Rural Development (195 pp., paperback. no price). Satish,
Rqisrer
of‘ Research
It is a pleasure to report that the National Institute has produced a second survey of current rural development research in India. Their efforts turned up 423 projects from 8.1 institutes, centers, universities, or government agencies. The compiler sought detailed data including sponsors, collaborators, abstracts, keywords and output; respondents were not consistent, so entries vary. Reasonable access comes from author. subject. geographical, and sponsor indexes. By pursuing several related topics one can get some sense of the relatively few projects focused on local and peasant organizations and social movcments. Since many of the research products have not been titled, retrieval of materials on any topic will be difficult. Addresses are provided so one can approach either the researcher or the sponsor. One hopes in the next edition for more specifics on availability than just “report 85-h” and for a much more energetic survey of private voluntary apencics’ work. difficult though that is. Sinclair.
Stuart,
An Ecottotnic
Vijava (lY87) Sri L~nk~t. Samaraweera, Oxt’ord. UK: Clio I&s/ Santa Barbara. CA: ABC-Clio. (lY5 pp., cloth. $40.50). Various efforts by H. A. I. Goonetileke. notably his massive five volume effort covering some 26.000 items up to 107X, have left the hihliographer of the mid 1980s a significant challcngc to produce a more manageable and current synthesis. Samaraweera annotates his idea of the best 625 sources through lY85 under the general series guidelines: Enghsh language material on 35 to 40 topics of historical and contemporary interest. The volume includes the usual introductory country narrative and author/title/subject index. Coverage of development topics is spotty. A few recent titles are noted but not the major political economy works of S. B. D. de Silva (IWZ) and S. Ponnabalam (lYX1) nor rural development essays in two IYRS collections from the Asian and Pacific Development Centre nor International Labor Office studies on women by S. Tilakaratna (in M. A. Rahman. ed.. IYX4) and by R. Kurian ( IYX.3). Thus, while this hibliogrnphy will serve well as an initial orientation to history. humanities, and sciences. development
cd. (19X7) The Prtcific Ruin: London: Euromonitor Gale Research Co. (204 pp..
Hunrlhook.
Pub. L,td./Detroit: cloth, $80).
Part of a new series of area rcfercnce works, these are intended primarily for the busy executive, journalist or college student who seeks very introductory political and economic data. Most of the work IS a topical treatment mixing text and tables. After an introduction come 10 country summaries. Vietnam, China, North Korea. Brunei. Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands are omitted. The second and major portion of the book is a series of comparative chapters on commodities, energy, banking, social issues, manufacturing, and trade. Statistical datafile and indexes conclude. No bibliography is present. A comparison of options suggests that this volume is much overpriced for its content. Readers would do far better with 5pccial issues and the yearbook of the weekly Fw Em/em Ec~onorttic Ra,~icw and the Europa annual reviewed above. 7‘11~Puc[fic. Busitt does give useful comparative tables, but data rarely go beyond IYXS. Wang,
John, ed. (lYX7) Ti7e Asictn &otzotnic~ London: Euromonitor Pub. Ltd./ Gale Research (272 pp.. cloth. $80).
Hrrndbook.
Detroit:
This work organizes a huge terrain into seven chapters, part overview, part region or country specific. As with The Pucific Basin. it presents conventional introductory political and economic analysis spiced with comparative tables. Four country-related chapters follow similar formats: overview; population; government policy; economic performance; standard of living; and foreign trade and investments. Discussions are so brief that most will find the circa 200 tables of more use. Again most data do not extend beyond 1984 or 1985. Keferences to support statistics cite institutions, not specific documentation. There are indexes for tables and subjects but no regional bibliography. The same caveats and comparative possibilities exist for this volume as for the preceeding. A librarian with global interests might consider investments in other volumes of the series with less direct competition especially the USSR Economic Hundhook and the Eust Europeun Economic Handbook. Price and format are similar. level of detail much more useful.
OF NOTE:
ASIAN
TOPICS
Broad, Robin (1988) Unequul Alliance: The World Bank, the International Monetury Fund, and the Philippines. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press (352 pp., cloth, $35). The fallacies of structural adjustment solutions to debt crisis, as designed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have been widely noted in previous works by E. A. Brett. Thomas Scheetz and others. Never, however. has there been a case study of this depth, based on both internal sources and participant interviews. What makes this effort even more arresting is the rigorous use of Bank-Fund criteria to refute its own model. Broad shows how the Bank overcame nationalist sentiments and the interests of Philippine local capital by training appropriate bureaucrats as transnational technocrats, inserting them in a new unit in the Central Bank, and vesting that unit with investment control over new external capital. This Apex Development Finance Unit channeled all resources to four areas of exporting: apparel, wood products, electronics, and shoes. Monopolies expanded. Other industries were starved for capital. While inexport enclaves added little equality grew, domestic value and burdened the import bill. When world markets stagnated, financial ruin was inevitable. Neither the Marcos government nor the international financial institutions were open to alternative planning or critical evaluation. Many other rulers following the same path would do well to study deeply this sober history.
Fforde, Adam and Paine. Suzanne (lY87) 77~~ Limits of Nutionul Liberation. Beckenham, Kent, UK: Croom Helm, and New York: Routledge, Chapman & Hall (distr.) (246 pp.. cloth, f25). The literature on North Vietnamese economic development in Western languages is not large, so it is pleasing to see even a narrowly focused study of the lY6(&75 period from this British economist. Fforde’s thesis is that the Leninist model of investing heavily in primary industry under state control fit Vietnamese conditions very poorly and created inevitable structural problems. The Red River Delta was a very poor region, lacking much surplus. The country had prior experience with large scale bureaucratic systems with motives far from development. Problems appeared before the war and endured as an “aggravated shortage” economy with great inefficiencies, public sector/private sector resource competition, and myriad “negative pracExtensive deficits and external aid tices.” allowed the experiment to continue through and beyond the war. What might have made a difference. even in a country this poor. would be to use political space at any social level to “create and encourage appropriate incentive structures.” That such motives need not be purely public nor purely private is, unfortunately. beyond the bounds of this case study. Wade, Robert (1988) Village Republics: Ex)nomic Conditions for Collective Action in South Indiu. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (23X pp., cloth, $32.50). Wade has developed a stimulating model of the potential for autonomous collective action which undermines much previous work by Olsen, Hardin. Scott, Popkin, Foster and others. Studying villages with and without local organizations, Wade found that organization was a response to scarcity in grazing land and irrrigation water. Risk of crop loss and social conflict was highest in villages at the tail end of irrigation channels. In such villages councils have been maintained to oversee field guards and common irrigators. In some there was a village fund. The propertied class dominates, encouraging participation only to help reduce conflict. The councils are not involved in distributive justice. community development or social security. Wade is persuasive on the fallacies of the prisoners’ dilemma theory, on specific variables necessary for this type of local organization, and the limited potential of this kind of social action. Thus it is disconcerting to see his concluding policy judgment: government should, for cost efficiency, support such organizations. It is precisely this myopic or self-
WORLD
DEVELOPMENT
to Inregruted Pest Managetnent in Rice itt Tropicrrl Asiu. Manila: International Rice Research Insti-
tute (IRRI)/Arlington. VA: national. (411 pp.. paperback,
Winrock $20.95).
practitioners would be better those just noted.
served
by some of
Inter-
IRRI and its sister institutions have done much of the basic research on integrated pest managrment. so it is not surprising to see a group project from IRRI produce a sourcebook on the subject for training extension workers. The text is in plain English, but the arresting and effective illustrations, more than X00 thereof. dominate the volume and make much of it accessible for even the marginally literate. After a brief introduction to rice plant structure and growth, organization of the text follows the plant cycle; pest in the soil; pests at the vegetative stage. the reproducti1.e stage. and the ripening stage. Rice diseases and weed and animal pests are then studied individually. One sees what pests and diseases look like. how they develop. and what the trade-offs are for various remedies. The limits of both natural and chemical approaches are indicated as the basis for an integrated approach. As IRRI outlines the strategy. it is a variation of farming systems research with both the strengths and wcaknesseh of that model. As in many such studies, politics and institutions arc too briefly considered. But as a reference work to pests and diseases this will he of much use to training and self-education.
N. Cr. (1YXX) Rural Devdoptnet~t: A in India 198S4h. Rajendrangar, Hyderabad: National Institute of Rural Development (195 pp., paperback. no price). Satish,
Rqisrer
of‘ Research
It is a pleasure to report that the National Institute has produced a second survey of current rural development research in India. Their efforts turned up 423 projects from 8.1 institutes, centers, universities, or government agencies. The compiler sought detailed data including sponsors, collaborators, abstracts, keywords and output; respondents were not consistent, so entries vary. Reasonable access comes from author. subject. geographical, and sponsor indexes. By pursuing several related topics one can get some sense of the relatively few projects focused on local and peasant organizations and social movcments. Since many of the research products have not been titled, retrieval of materials on any topic will be difficult. Addresses are provided so one can approach either the researcher or the sponsor. One hopes in the next edition for more specifics on availability than just “report 85-h” and for a much more energetic survey of private voluntary apencics’ work. difficult though that is. Sinclair.
Stuart,
An Ecottotnic
Vijava (lY87) Sri L~nk~t. Samaraweera, Oxt’ord. UK: Clio I&s/ Santa Barbara. CA: ABC-Clio. (lY5 pp., cloth. $40.50). Various efforts by H. A. I. Goonetileke. notably his massive five volume effort covering some 26.000 items up to 107X, have left the hihliographer of the mid 1980s a significant challcngc to produce a more manageable and current synthesis. Samaraweera annotates his idea of the best 625 sources through lY85 under the general series guidelines: Enghsh language material on 35 to 40 topics of historical and contemporary interest. The volume includes the usual introductory country narrative and author/title/subject index. Coverage of development topics is spotty. A few recent titles are noted but not the major political economy works of S. B. D. de Silva (IWZ) and S. Ponnabalam (lYX1) nor rural development essays in two IYRS collections from the Asian and Pacific Development Centre nor International Labor Office studies on women by S. Tilakaratna (in M. A. Rahman. ed.. IYX4) and by R. Kurian ( IYX.3). Thus, while this hibliogrnphy will serve well as an initial orientation to history. humanities, and sciences. development
cd. (19X7) The Prtcific Ruin: London: Euromonitor Gale Research Co. (204 pp..
Hunrlhook.
Pub. L,td./Detroit: cloth, $80).
Part of a new series of area rcfercnce works, these are intended primarily for the busy executive, journalist or college student who seeks very introductory political and economic data. Most of the work IS a topical treatment mixing text and tables. After an introduction come 10 country summaries. Vietnam, China, North Korea. Brunei. Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands are omitted. The second and major portion of the book is a series of comparative chapters on commodities, energy, banking, social issues, manufacturing, and trade. Statistical datafile and indexes conclude. No bibliography is present. A comparison of options suggests that this volume is much overpriced for its content. Readers would do far better with 5pccial issues and the yearbook of the weekly Fw Em/em Ec~onorttic Ra,~icw and the Europa annual reviewed above. 7‘11~Puc[fic. Busitt does give useful comparative tables, but data rarely go beyond IYXS. Wang,
John, ed. (lYX7) Ti7e Asictn &otzotnic~ London: Euromonitor Pub. Ltd./ Gale Research (272 pp.. cloth. $80).
Hrrndbook.
Detroit:
This work organizes a huge terrain into seven chapters, part overview, part region or country specific. As with The Pucific Basin. it presents conventional introductory political and economic analysis spiced with comparative tables. Four country-related chapters follow similar formats: overview; population; government policy; economic performance; standard of living; and foreign trade and investments. Discussions are so brief that most will find the circa 200 tables of more use. Again most data do not extend beyond 1984 or 1985. Keferences to support statistics cite institutions, not specific documentation. There are indexes for tables and subjects but no regional bibliography. The same caveats and comparative possibilities exist for this volume as for the preceeding. A librarian with global interests might consider investments in other volumes of the series with less direct competition especially the USSR Economic Hundhook and the Eust Europeun Economic Handbook. Price and format are similar. level of detail much more useful.
OF NOTE:
ASIAN
TOPICS
Broad, Robin (1988) Unequul Alliance: The World Bank, the International Monetury Fund, and the Philippines. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press (352 pp., cloth, $35). The fallacies of structural adjustment solutions to debt crisis, as designed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have been widely noted in previous works by E. A. Brett. Thomas Scheetz and others. Never, however. has there been a case study of this depth, based on both internal sources and participant interviews. What makes this effort even more arresting is the rigorous use of Bank-Fund criteria to refute its own model. Broad shows how the Bank overcame nationalist sentiments and the interests of Philippine local capital by training appropriate bureaucrats as transnational technocrats, inserting them in a new unit in the Central Bank, and vesting that unit with investment control over new external capital. This Apex Development Finance Unit channeled all resources to four areas of exporting: apparel, wood products, electronics, and shoes. Monopolies expanded. Other industries were starved for capital. While inexport enclaves added little equality grew, domestic value and burdened the import bill. When world markets stagnated, financial ruin was inevitable. Neither the Marcos government nor the international financial institutions were open to alternative planning or critical evaluation. Many other rulers following the same path would do well to study deeply this sober history.
Fforde, Adam and Paine. Suzanne (lY87) 77~~ Limits of Nutionul Liberation. Beckenham, Kent, UK: Croom Helm, and New York: Routledge, Chapman & Hall (distr.) (246 pp.. cloth, f25). The literature on North Vietnamese economic development in Western languages is not large, so it is pleasing to see even a narrowly focused study of the lY6(&75 period from this British economist. Fforde’s thesis is that the Leninist model of investing heavily in primary industry under state control fit Vietnamese conditions very poorly and created inevitable structural problems. The Red River Delta was a very poor region, lacking much surplus. The country had prior experience with large scale bureaucratic systems with motives far from development. Problems appeared before the war and endured as an “aggravated shortage” economy with great inefficiencies, public sector/private sector resource competition, and myriad “negative pracExtensive deficits and external aid tices.” allowed the experiment to continue through and beyond the war. What might have made a difference. even in a country this poor. would be to use political space at any social level to “create and encourage appropriate incentive structures.” That such motives need not be purely public nor purely private is, unfortunately. beyond the bounds of this case study. Wade, Robert (1988) Village Republics: Ex)nomic Conditions for Collective Action in South Indiu. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (23X pp., cloth, $32.50). Wade has developed a stimulating model of the potential for autonomous collective action which undermines much previous work by Olsen, Hardin. Scott, Popkin, Foster and others. Studying villages with and without local organizations, Wade found that organization was a response to scarcity in grazing land and irrrigation water. Risk of crop loss and social conflict was highest in villages at the tail end of irrigation channels. In such villages councils have been maintained to oversee field guards and common irrigators. In some there was a village fund. The propertied class dominates, encouraging participation only to help reduce conflict. The councils are not involved in distributive justice. community development or social security. Wade is persuasive on the fallacies of the prisoners’ dilemma theory, on specific variables necessary for this type of local organization, and the limited potential of this kind of social action. Thus it is disconcerting to see his concluding policy judgment: government should, for cost efficiency, support such organizations. It is precisely this myopic or self-