Sydney eScholarship Community:http://hdl.handle.net/2123/56752013-05-18T19:04:15Z2013-05-18T19:04:15ZVouchers Reconsidered - The marketisation of education and prospects for social democratic reformRogers, Katrenhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89962013-03-22T17:52:26Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Vouchers Reconsidered - The marketisation of education and prospects for social democratic reform
Authors: Rogers, Katren2012-01-01T00:00:00Z'Never had it so good'? The Concealed Costs of Financial ExposureBundey, Freyahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89952013-03-22T17:52:29Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: 'Never had it so good'? The Concealed Costs of Financial Exposure
Authors: Bundey, Freya2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Political Economy of Neoliberalism and the Occupy MovementBarry, Matthewhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89942013-03-22T17:52:34Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: The Political Economy of Neoliberalism and the Occupy Movement
Authors: Barry, Matthew2012-01-01T00:00:00ZFreedom and Faith in Neoliberal Capitalism: The Fantasy of the American DreamSherab, Domeniquehttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89932013-03-22T17:52:31Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Freedom and Faith in Neoliberal Capitalism: The Fantasy of the American Dream
Authors: Sherab, Domenique2012-01-01T00:00:00ZAid-for-Trade: the Way Forward for Development?Petrova, Iouliahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89922013-03-22T17:52:33Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Aid-for-Trade: the Way Forward for Development?
Authors: Petrova, Ioulia
Abstract: The failure to eradicate poverty through trade-induced economic growth over a number of decades raises questions about the latest initiative: Aid-for-trade. After examining whether the initiative signifies a new paradigm for achieving development, this thesis employs an empirical analysis of the East Asian region with a particular focus on Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to find no clear relationship between Aid-for-trade flows and measures of development even for individual sectors in these countries. It is concluded that this is due to Aid-for-trade flows being designed to maximise the donor’s economic and political position rather than the recipient’s development.2012-01-01T00:00:00ZMoney for Nothing, Re-thinking Women's Empowerment and the Accomplishments of Microfinance in Rural BangladeshJahan, Hosnahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/89912013-03-22T17:52:31Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Money for Nothing, Re-thinking Women's Empowerment and the Accomplishments of Microfinance in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Jahan, Hosna
Abstract: Microfinance Institutions often claim that microfinance is useful not only in
alleviating poverty but also as a development tool which empowers women. The
impacts of microfinance on empowerment have been studied by many, some of
whom have reviewed empowerment not only by looking at repayment, but also by
examining the women’s well-being. However, other studies suggest that the various
dimensions of well-being (such as mobility, political participation and health
awareness) are not a direct result of access to credit or income but rather an indirect
result of community development programs that are usually run by the
microfinance institutions alongside their credit providing facilities. Thus, many
studies suggest, while microfinance may be a useful tool to alleviate women out of
poverty but empowerment is an issue that needs to be addressed differently.
Empowerment, in this view, requires incorporating women’s agency. However, in
traditional societies like Bangladesh, the present character of women’s agency is
one of the causes of their disempowerment. The existing social structure and the
century-long gender disparities distort the view of what women really value. Thus, I
argue that empowerment cannot be achieved only via exercising agency, but it
needs to question the existing power relations and social structures. On this
reasoning empowerment requires critical agency. By examining Bangladeshi
women’s identity, social structure and agency this thesis inspects how social
structures, existing power relations and agency play out in the context of
empowerment. I argue that the microfinance institutions need to challenge the
existing social structures and power relations rather than build on them. Moreover,
the idea of critical agency needs to be incorporated in their community
development programs to play an effective role in women’s empowerment and
development. Looking at microfinance institutions in this broader context shows
more clearly the limited role they play in the process of women’s empowerment.2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Political Economy of Corruption IndexesAng, Amandahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/82622012-05-03T16:53:11Z2011-10-10T00:00:00ZTitle: The Political Economy of Corruption Indexes
Authors: Ang, Amanda
Abstract: Corruption indexes, such as the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions
Index and the World Bank’s Control of Corruption indicator, have played a pivotal
role in focusing global attention on corruption. Since they came into existence, these
indexes have been influential on research and investigations into corruption. Aid
donors have also relied extensively on these indexes to determine the allocation of aid
to developing countries. Despite the intense anti-corruption initiatives over the past
decade, corruption still remains one of the greatest stumbling blocks for sustainable
development. The lack of success of these anti-corruption initiatives has cast
significant doubts on the contemporary mainstream perspective on corruption. In this
thesis, I examine the underlying concepts and theoretical assumptions of the
mainstream approach to corruption which has its roots in neoclassical economics. It
defines corruption as bribery and views it as a rent-seeking behaviour. I argue that this
understanding of corruption is too narrow and does not reflect the realities of
corruption. A more appropriate framework draws on the insights of institutionalism.
Focusing on the institutional structures and its violation in its analysis, this alternative
defines corruption as the subversion of institutions and rules of an organisation or
society which results in the corrosion of the institutional and social fabric. This
alternative approach provides a broader and more realistic understanding of the
realities of corruption. In theory, it may be possible to construct a corruption index
based on this alternative framework. In order to give the developing countries a real
chance at tackling corruption, it is necessary that the international community, in
particular the World Bank and IMF, alter the way they understand corruption.2011-10-10T00:00:00ZThe Contradiction of Concentration A Critical Evaluation of Australian Merger LawKaldor, Thomashttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/82612012-05-03T16:53:10Z2009-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: The Contradiction of Concentration A Critical Evaluation of Australian Merger Law
Authors: Kaldor, Thomas2009-01-01T00:00:00ZIncome distribution, growth and social-welfare: towards an economic solution to the growth-equality trade-off problemLatty, Kieranhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/82602012-05-03T16:53:09Z2011-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Income distribution, growth and social-welfare: towards an economic solution to the growth-equality trade-off problem
Authors: Latty, Kieran
Abstract: This thesis assesses the social-welfare implications of modifications to the post transfer distribution of income, in the context of welfare maximising policy design. Both the inequality-distributional efficiency and inequality-growth relationship are assessed. An Atkinson social welfare function is employed in a novel fashion to model the inequality distributional efficiency relationship, including direct effects that result from the concavity of the personal utility function, and external losses operating via positional income effects. This analysis produces estimates of the social welfare losses from inequality across a data set of 137 countries, where the unweighted average of total losses is found to be equivalent to be 47% of GNI. The equality-growth relationship is analysed from the standpoint of both endogenous growth theory and post-Keynesian theories of demand and investment. The relationships between the functional and personal distribution of income and key macroeconomic variables including the rate of savings, and physical and human capital accumulation are assessed. Crucially, these relationships are found to be highly modifiable by economic policy and structural reform, and in theory, no growth–equality trade off need exist. On the contrary, equality may be growth promoting at moderate to high inequality levels. Combined with the large static welfare losses from inequality uncovered in this analysis, the welfare optimum level of inequality is likely to be close to the level associated with distributional efficiency maximisation. This is likely to be a very low level of inequality in comparison to existing levels in most countries and regions, and large welfare losses result from levels of inequality significantly above this level.
Honours Thesis: Submitted as partial requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Political Economy, University of Sydney, 2011.
2
This work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due references is made in the text of the thesis.2011-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Debate on Excess Capacity, Issues of Competition and TimeGilliland, Mathew Andrewhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/82592012-05-03T16:53:07Z2011-10-17T00:00:00ZTitle: The Debate on Excess Capacity, Issues of Competition and Time
Authors: Gilliland, Mathew Andrew
Abstract: There
has
been
a
great
deal
of
soul-‐searching
in
the
economic
community
over
the
past
few
years.
Economists
of
varying
stripes
have
begun
to
question
the
academic
and
business
paradigm
which
is
the
orthodox
approach
to
economics.
Questions
of
capital
theory,
of
method,
of
normative
philosophy
are
being
reconsidered
as
the
community
questions
the
wisdom
of
the
textbooks
of
Dornbusch
and
Bernanke,
the
truisms
of
Solow
on
growth
and
Friedman
on
financial
markets,
the
intellectual
sons
of
the
marginalist
revolution.
The
public
and
policymakers
alike
are
also
searching
for
alternatives,
with
proposals
of
a
Tobin
tax
across
Europe
and
occupations
of
Wall
Street
the
most
striking
recent
examples.
Without
doubt,
the
global
financial
crisis
has
done
far
more
than
simply
cut
the
hair
of
the
Samson
of
international
finance,
it
has
forced
the
jaws
of
orthodox
economists
to
clamp
down
on
Eve’s
apple
and
awaken,
naked
and
impure,
outside
the
ivory
walls
and
locked
gates
of
Eden.
They
now
lie,
castrate,
amongst
the
intellectual
barrenness
and
moral
decrepitude
which
was
neoclassical
economics.
If
they
can
open
their
eyes,
they
will
see
there
are
many
rich
traditions
of
heterodox
thought
which
have
persisted
outside
the
bastions
of
economic
Eden.
These
are
not
built
from
invisible
hands,
and
they
do
not
need
to
assume
full
employment
or
abstract
from
that
which
they
do
not
understand
to
work.
The
theoretical
underpinnings
of
these
approaches
are
methodologically
Babylonian,
not
Cartesian,
and
thus
sustain
themselves
on
more
than
just
axioms
(Dow,
1996).
The
insights
of
Keynes
(1936),
Robinson
(1941),
Steindl
(1952),
Sraffa
(1960),
Kalecki
(1971),
Marx
(1971),
Amadeo
(1986a),
White
(1996),
Missaglia
(2007),
Arestis
and
Sawyer
(2009b),
and
Moudud
(2010)
are
but
a
few
authors
whose
contribution
to
understanding
the
phenomenon
and
implications
of
excess
capacity
cannot
be
understated.
It
would
be
a
travesty
of
morality
and
justice
for
the
Department
of
Political
Economy
at
this
University
to
be
closed,
amalgamated
out,
or
in
any
other
way
undermined,
because
if
there
is
one
thing
which
the
past
few
years
10
of
economic
experience
and
this
body
work
shares
in
common,
it
is
that
pluralism
leads
to
a
better,
greater,
and
more
fruitful
understanding.
I
pray
the
University
makes
the
right
decision.2011-10-17T00:00:00ZIn credit we trust?: An analysis of US households and their consumption of credit from 1950-2007 through the lens of financializationMcCormack, Amandahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/72522011-04-04T18:05:39Z2010-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: In credit we trust?: An analysis of US households and their consumption of credit from 1950-2007 through the lens of financialization
Authors: McCormack, Amanda2010-01-01T00:00:00ZRisk, Competition and Credit Cards: The Financialisation of Australian HouseholdsMacfarlan, Alexhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/72512011-04-04T18:05:37Z2011-04-04T00:00:00ZTitle: Risk, Competition and Credit Cards: The Financialisation of Australian Households
Authors: Macfarlan, Alex2011-04-04T00:00:00ZGood for the Nation, Good for the People?Greenwood, Joshuahttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/72382011-03-28T17:05:44Z2010-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Good for the Nation, Good for the People?
Authors: Greenwood, Joshua2010-01-01T00:00:00ZThe political economy of the Clean Development MechanismBryant, Garethhttp://hdl.handle.net/2123/72372011-03-28T17:05:41Z2010-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: The political economy of the Clean Development Mechanism
Authors: Bryant, Gareth2010-01-01T00:00:00Z