Ha-Joon Chang

Ha-Joon Chang is a South Korean economist and author known for challenging free-market orthodoxies and advocating active industrial policy for economic development.

Development economics: The study of how economies transform and how living standards improve, especially in lower-income countries. It supplies the field’s central questions about structural change, growth, and poverty.
Kicking Away the Ladder: Ha-Joon Chang’s book arguing that today’s rich countries used protectionist policies while developing, then discouraged similar policies elsewhere. It presents his historical case against prescribing free trade to developing countries.
Alice Amsden: An American economist known for research on industrialization and state-led development in East Asia. Her account of South Korea’s industrial transformation complements Chang’s emphasis on government coordination.
Washington Consensus: A set of market-oriented policy prescriptions associated with international financial institutions and reforms in developing countries. Chang criticizes its standardized prescriptions for neglecting historical context and national policy choices.
Infant industry argument: The case for temporarily protecting new domestic industries until they can compete internationally. Chang uses its history to defend selective protection as a development tool.
Bad Samaritans: Ha-Joon Chang’s book criticizing the effects of free-market policies on developing countries. It develops his critique of globalization and market-oriented development advice.
Robert Wade: A political economist known for studying state intervention and industrial development in East Asia. His analysis of East Asian development shares Chang’s attention to institutions and strategic state action.
Market fundamentalism: The belief that markets generally allocate resources better than government intervention does. It captures the confidence in market coordination that Chang repeatedly contests.
Comparative advantage: The principle that countries gain from specializing in goods with lower opportunity costs. Chang questions whether current comparative advantages should dictate a country’s development path.
23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism: Ha-Joon Chang’s book challenging common claims about markets, corporations, finance, and economic growth. It offers an accessible version of his broader challenge to orthodox economic narratives.

Linked from 1 page