Changing Approaches to Economic Reconstruction

This book compares three cases of post-conflict economic reconstruction efforts over the past seven decades. First, a discussion of post-WWII European reconstuction through economic integration and the movement from inter-governmentalism to supra-nationalism. Second, a review of the post-unification reconstruction efforts of Vietnam. Third, an examination of efforts to reconstruct the economy of Iraq following the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, and ongoing today. Finally, a broad brush approach is taken and comparisons are made between the three cases, to determine whether economic reconstruction efforts are evolving positively with subsequent cases. The book concludes that differing initial endowments in each case, differing time horizons, the 'sequencing' of reconstuction policy initiatives, and the degree of indigenous ownership of the reconstruction agenda each play an important role in the success or failure of reconstruction efforts. There is little evidence in these three cases to suggest reconstruction efforts are evolving positively.