Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism

Key Concepts and Strategies

In «Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism», Ha-Joon Chang critiques the idea of free trade and neoliberal economic policies, arguing that developed countries promoting these ideas today did not follow them in their early development stages. The book's main concepts and strategies include:
1.Historical analysis of economic development, showing that successful economies used protectionist measures and government intervention to protect and develop their industries.
2.Criticism of international organizations like the IMF and the World Bank for imposing policies on developing countries that limit their economic growth.
3.Support for the idea that developing countries need to use a strategy of «protected growth», including tariffs and subsidies, to build competitive industries.
4.The argument that economic policy should be tailored to the specific conditions of each country, rather than following universal prescriptions.
5.Justification for revising global economic rules to promote more equitable and sustainable development.