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Democratic Politics, War and Catch-Up

Olson's Thesis and Long-Term Economic Growth in the English-Speaking Nations of Advanced Capitalism

The paper is an attempt to see whether Mancur Olson's Rise and Decline of Nations provides a theoretical and empirical basis for understanding the poor economic performance of the English-speaking nations in the postwar era. On both counts Olson's thesis is found wanting. Theoretically, it neglects the vital role of the state's coercive function in the achievement of collective goals. Empirically, it is confused and conflates the effects of economic convergence, wartime economic disruption and democratic participation. The `awfulness' of English-speaking performance is demonstrated to be largely an outcome of the first two of these factors and not the third.

Key Words: awfulness of the English • convergence • economic growth • Mancur Olson • wartime economic disruption

Journal of Theoretical Politics, Vol. 3, No. 1, 5-25 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/0951692891003001001


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