The Political Economy of Change

The authors approach political economy analysis starting with the discipline of political science. They resurrect concerns that occupied early political economists: first, determining how the relationship between those in authority and those subject to it can be made most productive for the community; and second, ascertaining what courses a government can follow to see that the resources of a community are used most economically and effectively to achieve the goals it sets. Ilchman and Uphoff expand the limits of social science analysis to deal with problems of allocation and productivity in all spheres of public choice, not just the economic sphere. In their new introduction, Ilchman and Uphoff discuss the significance of their model, proposing that it can be used in any and all political and systems. The model is discussed as supra disciplinary, in that it transcends disciplines rather than trying to combine or unite them. The Political Economy of Change is, in the words of Kenneth Boulding, an important landmark in the development of an integrated social science. It has been widely valued by political scientists, economists, and sociologists working in developmental contexts.