Product Description
Economic Development is the leading textbook in this field, providing a complete and balanced introduction to the requisite theory, the driving policy issues, and the latest research.
Todaro and Smith take a policy-oriented approach, presenting economic theory in the context of critical policy debates and country-specific case studies so students see how theory relates to the problems and prospects of developing countries. In the Tenth Edition, the autho… More >>
#1 by Kenneth G. Zwicker on April 16, 2010 - 2:27 am
Book is good for what you expect. Many models and graphs illustrating the economic stages and values in developing countries
Rating: 3 / 5
#2 by Cihan S. Bozkus on April 16, 2010 - 5:05 am
This book talks about many issues on economic development, and it also includes alternative approaches. You do not have to be a economics major to understand that book.
Rating: 4 / 5
#3 by Hyun O. Lee on April 16, 2010 - 6:15 am
The cost of this new on amazon is the same as the bookstore at my college for a used one. If your class requires this book, just be sure to use the online study guide that comes with it. Will help you a lot: http://www.aw-bc.com/todaro_smith.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Adam R. Norman on April 16, 2010 - 7:26 am
I was horrified to see how much this book cost when I started my Development Economics course. Now I’m very glad I bought it.
The writing is very good: it’s dense, clear, and accurate. It clearly presents the economic models of the most referenced development economists. It places them in context and critiques them.
I was so pleased with this book (and the subject) that I went on to pursue an MA with a focus on development economics. Textbooks that can change your life are few–this ranks among them.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Richard Almasi on April 16, 2010 - 7:35 am
An excellent introductory book if you are looking for a broad study of the subject.
If you have never taken an economics course before then this could be a somewhat confusing read, especially if you wish to understand the models used. A basic first-year course/book would be ideal.
Still, Todaro does a good job in explaining the economic models he presents, so if you are someone who is intimated by economics you don’t have to worry: 95% of this book is text, 4% graphs and 1% maths.
This is one of those textbooks that you can easily just read through, as it is very well written and the topics well presented.
It’s a textbook that engages you on many levels – you start to think intellectually about economics and you start evaluating economic theory both on a moral/ethical basis and on a practical basis.
Development economics is a very confronting topic if you have never studied applied economics before.
The main analytical tool used is graphs, and the little mathematics that’s used is on the same level as most introductory courses in mathematics. Some chapters do have mathematical treatments in the appendix, but even these are quite basic – as long as you know what differentials are and how to calculate them.
The language used is easy to understand, and the exercises are all in discussion format.
Todaro writes in a no-nonsense way, he tells it as it is, which I found very refreshing after only having read formal and “traditional” books on economics beforehand.
I especially liked how each chapter has case study where a specific country is studied, in my edition these countries were analyzed: Brazil, Nigeria, Cuba, Malaysia, South Korea, Argentina, India, South Africa, China, Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, Taiwan, Venezuela, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Jamaica, Uganda, Chile, Poland.
This is a very broad and multidisciplinary book that goes into a range of areas: economics, culture/anthropology, politics etc. so it should suit alot of people in different fields.
As a person who only studied “traditional” economics this book was an eye-opener, it made my knowledge of economics become real and made me want to achieve practical outcomes with my studies.
The book is best suited for those studying: development, demographics, economic growth, international economics, international studies…
Rating: 4 / 5