Event

Event Title: PRACTITIONERS OF DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR SERIES Date: 9/14/2004 - 9/14/2004 Following the 2002 annual meetings, there were several requests from Board Members and the MDs to deepen our understanding of the developments in the 1990s. The 1990s were a decade with many changes of historical significance, and also considerable reforms which strengthened the policy framework in a large number of countries. The resulting growth experiences, however, have been extremely varied, and often below expectations. In seeking to understand the reasons behind these outcomes and draw relevant lessons, PREM, in collaboration with DEC and WBI, initiated a series of analytical exercises and in particular, a flagship report on the key lessons of the 1990s. These analytical exercises are complemented by the review of actual development experience by "Practitioners". "Practitioners" are economists with frontline experience in influencing and implementing reforms and development strategies. Reviving the experience of "Pioneers in Development" in the early 1980s, "Practitioners" are invited to "celebrate and criticize" their accomplishments, and to use the benefit of hindsight to draw lessons--what would have they done differently had they known then what they know now. They share their experience and offer their perspectives on the dynamics of political economy and strategies for growth. They help clarify our understanding of the effectiveness of governments’ development policies, provide insights on methods and policies that have worked and those that have not, and clarify the many ways economies can improve and develop. The experience of the "Practitioners" will be central in our search for insights, and understanding of implications for the future.

B-SPAN releases from this event are:

Alejandro Foxely: Improving Income Distribution and Poverty Reduction while Maintaining Fiscal Discipline, Macro Stability, and Micro Efficiency Kwesi Botchwey: Theory and Practice of African Development in the New Millennium Kemal Dervis: Turkey: Return from the Brink, Attempt at Systemic Change and Structural Reform Mario Blejer: Argentina: Managing the Financial Crisis Eduardo Aninat: Public Policies for Investment in Human Capital: The Case of Chile Leszek Balcerowicz: Post-communist Transition in Comparative Perspective Fernando Henrique Cardoso Reflections and Lessons from a Decade of Social and Economic Reforms John Williamson The Washington Consensus as Policy Prescription for Development Yegor Gaidar Post-Socialist Recession: Some Lessons Learned Lawrence Summers Speaking from Experience Montek Ahluwalia, Some Lessons from Economic Reforms in India Zhou Xiaochuan: Experience and Lessons from China’s Gradual Reforms Reform in Hindsight: Promises and Illusions Practitioners of Development Seminar Series: The Growth Experience: Lessons from the 1990s Practitioners of Development Seminar Series: Perspectives from Former Bank Country Directors