The economic growth of Singapore : trade and development in the twentieth century /

Huff writes from the premise that economic history can provide the empirical analysis to study the process of economic development. The author contends that, prior to 1900, Singapore developed as an entrept by capitalizing on its comparative advantages in the natural resource endowments of neighboring countries and favorable geographical position in heavily traveled sea lanes. During the second phase, 1900-39, the country expanded staple trade from tin and tropical produce to more sophisticated commodities such as rubber and petroleum. These products required processing, financing, and marketing expertise, which Singapore began to acquire during the period. In addition, massive immigration helped to sharpen the patterns of development. Post-WW II economic growth of Singapore is covered in the last part; following Singapore's independence, the state played a crucial role in orchestrating an extraordinary economic expansion through planning. Huff argues that in sharp contrast to other Third World nations, Singapore stands out as a country where a judicious application of planning has been successful. This book is full of trade statistics and immigration data useful to other researchers interested in Singapore. It is one of the most complete economic histories of Singapore written in recent years, especially with respect to the role of trade in development. Upper-division undergraduate through faculty. K. B. Lee; Skidmore College