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Puro Chile the memory of the people
Project for the First People's Century 		Castellano
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Asia
Editor: Róbinson Rojas

From the Asian Development bank
Asia Economic Outlook 2006
This 18th edition of the Asian Development Outlook provides a comprehensive economic analysis of 43 economies in developing Asia and the Pacific. Using the Asian Development Bank's unique knowledge of the region, it examines trends and prospects in Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, in the context of global economic movements. An important theme is how developing Asia can best position itself to maximize the benefits of international trade.
Aggregate gross domestic product for the region expanded by a robust 7.4% in 2005. Growth was underpinned by a favorable external environment and by continuing progress on domestic reform issues. The People's Republic of China and India both grew rapidly.
From The World Bank - September 2006
Africa's Silk Road:
China and India's New Economic Frontier
China and India Breaking New Economic Ground in Africa; South-South Trade and Investment Create Imbalance, Opportunities
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United Nations University
WIDER Conference on
Spatial Inequality in Asia
UNU Tokyo, 28-29 March 2003
Themes addressed by the conference:
- Spatial inequality in China
- Inequality and conflict
- Poverty and inequality in India
- Poverty in Asia
- Location and Migration
- Trade and inequality
- Spatial inequality in Asia
- Spatial inequalities in Former Soviet Union
From the Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Outlook
an assessment of economic trends and prospects for the world and for the developing economies of Asia and the Pacific
economic profiles, economic management issues, development policy concerns, and economic projections, for the DMCs of ADB
theme chapter covering important issues confronting the region.
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Asian Development Bank topics:
Some case studies on the social effects of privatization:
BAHRAIN
Scarce transparency in services policies. It is expected that Bahrain, with increasing poverty and unemployment, will soon be the first Gulf Cooperation Council state to legislate privatisation. After beginning in a few sectors, such as transportation and sanitation, privatisation is expected to gain momentum and be extended to the ports and electricity production.
BANGLADESH
Corruption and mismanagement threaten jute mills. The jute sector was dominant in the economy in terms of manufacturing sector output, employment, and foreign exchange earnings. It contributed 87% of total merchandise export earnings at the time of the country’s independence. The change of government in 1975 paved the way for a change in the nationalisation policy and a process of privatisation was initiated. This report discusses the impact of the nationalisation and later privatisation of the jute mills on the national economy and on the jute workers. ATIUR RAHMAN ISMAIL HOSSAIN
CAMBODIA
The long road to poverty eradication. Despite official policy pronouncements and some genuine efforts to reform the health and education sectors, structural obstacles, most particularly low budgetary allocations and disbursement systems that are slow and not always transparent, block progress and have a debilitating effect on the quality and delivery of services. The deep structural macro-economic problems worsen year after year and paralyse the whole public health sector. Access to key natural resources are auctioned off to be commercialised, leading to further impoverishment of the population. THIDA C. KHUS
INDIA
Erosion of rights and marketisation of development. The national development paradigm is a paradox. On the one hand, there is a professed commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by respecting, protecting and fulfilling economic, social and cultural rights. On the other hand, there is clear policy prioritisation towards privatisation of services that affect the basic rights of the most marginalised, such as education, health, water and food distribution. In contrast with the «the language of rights», policy prescriptions push basic services away from the responsibilities and obligations of the State. JOHN SAMUEL BOBBY KUNHU
JORDAN
The money into the pockets of foreign companies. The political instability in the region, along with Jordan’s maturing economy, has prevented the domestic private sector from playing an integral role in privatisation and has opened the way for foreign investors to take over many previously public enterprises. As a result, profits made from privatised companies do not contribute to the Jordanian treasury, as structural adjustment continues to challenge welfare policies. Reduced public spending combined with low growth will increase poverty, which is already aggravated by high population growth. NATASHA SHAWARIB
KAZAKHSTAN
To the detriment of women, children and the poor. The policy of structural adjustments has led to a sharp reduction of social expenditures and the collapse of the social services sector. Privatisation of social sector entities has failed. Firms offered for sale were not in good condition or in great demand, so investors did not bid on them. In addition, privatisation of health and education has reduced accessibility, and had a negative impact on the poor and on women and children in particular. SVETLANA SHAKIROVA MARA SEITOVA
KOREA
Privatisation, conflict and discontent. Privatisation in Korea has aroused intense debate and inspired many citizen mobilisations. While voices from the government insist that privatisation will strengthen industrial competitiveness and resolve the ill-effects of monopolies, labour unions, civil society and academia cry out that it will drain national wealth through sales abroad, degrade public services and deepen social inequality. Since there is no precedent of a successful privatisation and restructuring process being carried out without social consensus, the government should try to take the advice of civic groups rather than follow its present course. PROF. KIM JIN SOO
LEBANON
Confronting the fiscal crisis through privatisation. The main reason for privatisation is fiscal. Government officials argue that it is the only way out of the debt trap. However, private firms only invest where they expect to make a profit. The private sector, by its nature, prioritises short-term profit over any other social benefit. All in all, the «public good» value of basic services is considered less important than their fiscal potential. ZEINA ABLA
MALAYSIA
The high cost of private monopolies. Privatisation policies have been limited to a small elite who took over profitable public utilities and turned them into private monopolies. On several occasions, the objective of reduced fiscal burden backfired, as the government had to pay higher costs to bail out failed privatisations. For consumers, price increases have not brought about benefits. There is a serious need to review the entire privatisation policies to make the process more accountable and transparent. MAGESWARI SANGARALINGAM MEENAKSHI RAMAN
NEPAL
Rockbottom economic status. Economic liberalisation began in 1992. The foreign investment policy endevoured to attract foreign private investment but undermined the national interest. Nepalese entrepreneurs with limited resources and technical capacity were unable to compete with foreign private investors and hence were negatively affected. Privatisation of education and health has created two distinct classes and has benefited the higher income groups, in a country where approximately 42% of the population live below the poverty line. SARBA RAJ KHADKA RAKHEE LOHANI
PAKISTAN
Extreme poverty, forced labour, «honour killings»… This report presents an overview of the dramatic Pakistani situation. Its 140 million people are among the world’s poorest. High population growth and low social spending have deteriorated healthcare, education, sanitation and drinking water. Non-Muslim minorities experience routine discrimination. Child and forced labour and violence against women, subject to the rule of «honour killings», are part of a general climate of restricted public freedoms. PROF. AIJAZ A. QURESHI MUSHTAQ MIRANI NASARULLAH THAHEEM SHAHEEN KHAN
PALESTINE
Relying on others: provision of water and health care. Palestinian dependence on Israel for water and on the international community for healthcare services underscores the crippled state of Palestinian welfare and its subjugation to Israeli military decisions. This is not the result of shortcomings of the traditional development approaches (in particular the differing incentive and sanction structures behind state and market approaches to basic service provision1 ) but of Israeli military and government policy towards the West Bank and Gaza. IZZAT ABDUL-HADI THOMAS WHITE
PHILIPPINES
The water case: increased rates for poorer services. In August 1997, the government-run facility that provided safe drinking water to 11 million Metro Manila residents, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Services (MWSS), was privatised. The MWSS story belies the claim that privatisation automatically provides additional funds to government or improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of companies. What it bolsters, however, is the concern that cost-recovery and profit-making are the primary goals of privatisation—even at huge economic and social costs to consumers and citizens. MA. VICTORIA R. RAQUIZA
THAILAND
The dark side of global markets. The 1997 economic crisis led to the privatisation of lucrative state enterprises as an IMF requirement to reduce the debt, which was largely incurred by the private sector. However, the multinational corporations have not benefited Thailand, but they have returned profits to their own countries. At present, it is vital to define, prioritise and achieve an equilibrium between democratic development and market mechanisms. In this process, civil society should play an active role in maintaining basic human values. RANEE HASSARUNGSEE
VIET NAM
The Doi Moi policy and its impact on the poor. In December 1986, the government mandated the Doi Moi (open door) policy, shifting from a centrally planned economy to a market oriented one. The current trend shows growing inequality between the rural and urban population, and between the rich and the poor. Privatisation and liberalisation increased the social gap in the access to basic social services in general and to education and health in particular, and increased the vulnerability of the rural poor. TRAN THI QUE TO XUAN PHUC
 
Asia in crisis.....................................
WORLD BANK PREDICTS LOWEST GROWTH RATES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SINCE EIGHTIES' DEBT CRISIS—OUTLOOK TO IMPROVE BY 2000
World Bank report says record year for private capital flows is hurt by East Asian downturn, development aid to poor countries keeps falling (1998)
Social Crisis in Asia (World Bank)
 
W. Bello: Speculation, Foreign Capital Dependence and the Collapse of the Southeast Asian Economies
P. Krugman:
What happened in Asia?
Analytical Afterthoughts on the Asian Crisis
Balance sheets, the transfer problem, and financial crises
The energy crisis revisited
The Official Paul Krugman Web Page
The social impact of the Asian financial crisis (ILO)
 
 
Papers on the Asian Crisis (C.U.M.)
Asia's Economic Crisis (Asia Society)
What Caused Asia's Economic Crisis?.............New York University
1.Basic Readings and References on the Causes of the Crisis
2.Global Effects, Regional and Systemic Contagion Analysis
3.Country Analysis (Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia,Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Japan)
4.The Debate on the Role of the IMF in the Crisis
5.Will the Crisis Spread to Other Regions of the World?
6.The Role of Financial Fragility and Systemic Risk
7.Other Episodes of Fixed Exchange Rate Collapse in the 1990s
8.The Debate on Fixed versus Flexible Exchange Rate
9.Sources of Official Data and Reports 10.News Sources
The Asian Crisis: A View from the IMF
How Has the Asian Crisis Affected Other Regions?
IMF Area Department Directors
Mitigating the Social Costs of the Asian Crisis
IMF Staff
The Asian Crisis: IMF Bail Outs: Truth and Fiction
Stanley Fischer: The Asian Crisis and the Changing Role of the IMF
Dai Xiaohua: 'East Asian Model': A few problems, but it works
 
 
 

Education for Sustainability
Postgraduate courses on Environment and Development Education at London South Bank University
- Part time distance learning
- Full time at the University

Come visit us at
www.lsbu.ac.uk/efs.....
From The World Bank - 18 Sept. 2006
An East Asian Renaissance: Ideas for Economic Growth
Advance Conference Edition
East Asia – a region that has transformed itself since the financial crisis of the 90s by creating more competitive and innovative economies – must now turn to the urgent domestic challenges of inequality, social cohesion, corruption and environmental degradation arising from its success.
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Asia Times
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National Bureau of Asian Research Analysis
Asia Policy Journal

Clasification of economies by income,1997-1998-World Bank
N. Islam: Growth, Poverty and Human Development in Pakistan, 1996
A. K. Shiva Kumar: Poverty and Human Development in India, 1996
Asian Studies WWW Virtual Library (A.N.U.)
Institute of Economic Research
Hitotsubashi University, Japan
Asian Historical Statistics Project
2006.8.30 Ryo Kambayashi, Daiji Kawaguchi and Izumi Yokoyama Wage Distribution in Japan: 1989-2003.
2006.8.22 Satoshi Shimizutani and Izumi Yokoyama Has Japan's Long-term employment Practice Survived? New Evidence Emerging Since the 1990s.
2006.8.16 Dale W. Jorgenson and Khuong Vu Information Technology and The World Growth Resurgence.
2006.8.7 Ryo Kambayashi and Yuko Ueno Vacancy Size and Offered Wage: A Source of Search Friction in The Japanese Labor Market, Kyoji Fukao, Young Gak Kim and Hyeog Ug Kwon Plant Turnover and TFP Dynamics in Japanese Manufacturing.
2006.8.1 Hiroaki Chigira and Taku Yamamoto A Bias-Corrected Estimation for Dynamic Panel Models in Small Samples, In Choi and Timothy K. Chue Subsampling-Based Tests of Stock-Return Predictability..
2006.7.31 Harry X. Wu The Chinese GDP Growth Rate Puzzle: How Fast Has the Chinese Economy Grown? .
2006.7.22 Robert Inklaar, Marcel P. Timmer and Bart van Ark Mind the gap! International comparisons of productivity in services and goods production .
2006.7.19 Tatiana A. Chief Estimation of Gross Social Product and Net Material Product in the USSR, Youri N. Ivanov On Compilation of Long Term Series of GDP for the Former USSR Republics, Kyoji Fukao, Keikok Ito, Hyeg Ug Kwon and Miho Takizawa Cross-Border Acquisitons and Target Firms' Performance: Evidence from Japanese Firm-Level Data.
2006.7.10 Workshop information was modified.
2006.7.03 Hak K. Pyo, Geun-Hee Rhee and Bongchan Ha Growth Accounting and Productivity Analysis by 33 Industrial Sectors in Korea (1984-2002) .
Vietnamese Economic Network
Southeast Asian Serials Index
United Nations Mission in East Timor
In defence of Marxism: Asia

ACCESSASIA Review E-Journal
Asian Development Bank
National Bureau of Asian Research
Singapore WWW Virtual Library
East Asian Studies Internet Resources

Mass Media on the Net..........I.O.L. Stockolm University
E.U. cooperation with Asia and Latin America......EUFORIC
Asian Educational Media Service
The Economic History of Eastern Asia
Taiwan Security Research
India Books
ASEAN InfoSite
ASEANWEB
Asian Institute of Technology
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific /U. N.

Asian Human Rights Commission
The Cambodian Genocide Program
Reporting Indonesia and Asia(U.S. embassy/Jakarta)
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Asia- Pacific News................BBC World Service
-
Asiaweek
Far Eastern Economic Review

Read the REVIEW essays that won at the 2006 Society of Publishers in Asia awards:

"Finding China's Missing Farmers" by William MacNamara
November 2005
Winner of Excellence in Feature Writing

"Police Brutality in Papua New Guinea" by Zama Coursen-Neff
September 2005
Runner-up for Excellence in Human Rights Reporting

APEC. Research Information Network.    U. of B. C.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat
 
Asia
  The Pacific
      Middle East
 
Asia
Asia in crisis
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation- APEC
The World Bank: regions
One World News Service: Asia
Asian Development Outlook 2002
Countries A-H
Countries I-P
Countries Q-Z
A to Z
CIA World Factbook


Puro Chile la memoria del pueblo
Proyecto para el Primer Siglo Popular 		English
Français		 Buscar:
Asia
Director: Róbinson Rojas


Ensayos de  Pablo Bustelo, Clara García, Francisco García-Blanch, and Iliana Olivié

Updated: February 2003

A. Crisis financieras en Asia oriental

B. Recuperación económica en Asia oriental

C. China

D. Corea del Sur

E. Globalización financiera, crisis cambiarias y nueva arquitectura financiera internacional

F. España y Asia oriental

 
 


Puro Chile la mémoire du peuple
Projet pour le Premier Siècle Populaire 		Castellano
English		 Recherche:
Asie
Editeur: Róbinson Rojas