80,000 Hours Podcast

#111 Classic episode – Mushtaq Khan on using institutional economics to predict effective government reforms

37 snips
Jan 4, 2024
Mushtaq Khan, Professor of economics at SOAS University of London and anti-corruption advocate, delves into the complexities of governance in developing nations. He examines the entrenched corruption in Nigeria's Niger Delta and how community dynamics hinder effective reforms. Khan explains the importance of understanding local power structures and the role of organizational capabilities in driving economic growth. He contrasts successful industrial policies in South Korea with the struggles faced in India and highlights the significance of tailored strategies to combat corruption and promote development.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Organizational Capabilities Drive Development

  • Development is distinguished by the distribution of organizational capabilities, not just resources.
  • Advanced societies have complex, diverse organizations, while less developed ones lack this complexity.
INSIGHT

Low Capabilities, Not Politics, Drive Corruption

  • Low organizational capabilities, not just politics, drive corruption and informal activities in developing countries.
  • Privatization and liberalization often fail without addressing the underlying capability deficit.
ANECDOTE

Why Anti-Corruption Efforts Fail

  • Standard anti-corruption measures (transparency, accountability, enforcement) often fail to deliver sustainable results.
  • This is because they assume rule-following citizens, but developing countries have widespread informality and rule-breaking.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app