Economic growth and measurement reconsidered in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, 1965-1995 /

This book, stemming from the author's substantially revised dissertation on economic history, finds the data used to make evaluations of economic growth in African countries wanting. In considerable detail, Jerven (London School of Economics) looks at how national accounts were developed in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. He shows how disaggregated (sectoral) data can provide more insight into economic growth in a country than aggregate GDP. Additional topics he addresses include the treatment of informal, unrecorded economic activity; the price data used to determine real growth rates over time; and the role of exogenous events. The book clearly shows how information that lacks reliability and/or validity can lead to questionable conclusions about economic growth in specific countries or regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Though data collection and statistics are not thought of as exciting and are rarely given high priority in poorer countries, problems with data and data collection are serious impediments to the evaluation of a country's performance and policies. This book, which includes useful notes, bibliography, and index, is highly recommended for those interested in economic growth and development. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. --Janice E. Weaver, Drake University