The Economy of Africa

Philippe HUGON, 2004, Pretoria, Protea Book House
ISBN: 1-86919-027-0

It is difficult to write a book about African economies for two main reasons. Firstly, how does one explain the main issues when, even if one is limited to sub-Saharan Africa, the subcontinent is a territory of contrast? The second reason is more fundamental. One has to consider whether it is a matter of applying the instruments of economic analysis to the continent; or rather questioning economic categories based on African particularities.

In this publication, the centrality of macroeconomics, albeit necessary for coherence sake, is set against a historic perspective (part one); macroeconomic analysis, allowing an understanding of the behaviour of agents, is linked to organisations and institutions in a socio-political context (part two); political economy debates take into account the multiplicity of current trends and challenges, allowing for the definition of several perspectives (part three).

Philippe Hugon is a professor of economics and director of CERED/FORUM, University of Paris X – Nanterre