The conventional approach to increasing economic growth - increasing inputs, such as labour and capital, is not always possible. The wider, fundamental sources of economic growth need to be considered too. Foreign aid is a temporary lifeline and does not spur economic growth. Conversely, financial assistance negatively affects growth and can hamper development prospects. Economic freedom and economically freer countries have been associated with higher growth rates, higher per capita incomes, greater volumes of trade, prosperity and overall wellbeing. By improving their economic freedom, deregulating the economy and allowing economic freedom to prosper, countries can experience sustained GDP growth. Previous studies have shown that economic freedom and economic growth are exponentially related - and that by initially becoming freer, countires can increase their growth rates at higher rates. The main objective of the SADC is to achieve development and economic growth, to alleviate poverty and enhance the standard and quality of life for the peoples of Southern Africa. The SADC is attempting to achieve economic integration through macroeconomic convergence. A number of macroeconomic variables have been set to act as primary indicators. These include inflation, fiscal balance, public debt and the current account balance. By introducing the concept that economic freedom can lead to higher growth rates and being able to identify economic freedom, it makes it possible to investigate how the SADC can achieve its set goals by becoming freer. By investigating individual components that constitute the overall freedom index, it becomes possible to establish the relationship that exists between this viriable and economic growth. This will illustrate where deregulation and freedom are most effective and where policy decisions need to be highlighted. The 2008 economic crisis revealed that countries that decreased their economic freedom have fared worse than countries allowing freedom to prosper. Government fiscal stimulus has had no positive impact on growth rates; the negative effects of reducing economic freedom will onlky be fully seen in future years. However, the majority of the SADC countries showed a relatively strong fiscal stance during the recession. This study established whether that a positive relationship between economic freedom and economic growth in the SADC. Secondly, the direction of causality that economic freedom leads to economic growth. The findings reveal that economic freedom fosters economic growth in general, and for the SADC in particular. Empirical evidence has been found for the SADC; and the implications of becoming freer are more fully explained.

The Liberal welfare reforms were a series of bills passed in the British Parliament in the early twentieth-century. Initiated in response to a number of pressing economic and social issues, the Liberal welfare reforms were legislated with the purpose of combating poverty and improving the livelihood of the British working-class citizen. This thesis in economics outlines and examines critically the economic design behind the Liberal welfare reforms between 1906 and 1914.

This thesis examines competing explanations of the rapid post-war economic growth of the New Industrialising Countries of East Asia (Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea). It pays particular attention to the role of the state and to the state's changing relations to other major centres of power. The general approach is then augmented by a detailed exploration using a case study of economic development in South Korea. The new wave of economic development in east Asian countries' has stimulated an vast amount of research from a wide variety of perspectives. Many studies have focused single-mindedly on the central position of the state and its guiding role in economic development, rather than taking a more holistic approach by looking at the complex and evolving interplay between the state and other social sectors. However, this present work attempts to demonstrate the utility of a perspective that places the economic success of east Asian NICs through a detailed examination of the Korean case within a broader context. This context takes account of the shifting international environment and its impact and the cultural factors which these four countries have inherited. It also explores the actions of the state in relation to the responses and strategies of other key groups of actors. In summary, the feature of the actions of state and the state autonomy have been' diversified in accordance with changes of its components. This is even more so in the case of Korea which was once under the military regime but is now civilian controlled by a government. Korea took a specific path to achieve its economic development by creating the chaebols, family-owned conglomerates. It can be said, therefore, that over the last three decades the soil was prepared for the power shift among the power blocs including the state, the chaebols and labour group. The power of the chaebols has grown from being dominated by the state in the 1960s to being more symbiotic with state power in the 1990s. The chaebols have carefully prepared the ground for this new relationship by consolidating their social networks in society. The thesis also examines the mass communication system, concentrating upon the way that shifting relationships between the major power groups impact on the mass media.

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Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / In this thesis the author undertook a poverty and policy analysis. It is argued that it is important to understand the nature, magnitude and context of poverty before one can undertake an informed policy prescription. Existing theories of poverty, welfare regimes and social policies offer a lot of useful lessons for policy, but have limitations in offering a single model for Rwanda. The thesis demonstrated that, not only is Rwandan poverty multifaceted and deep, but it is characterized by a poverty conflict trap that can be traced back to the entire post colonial period. The author argued however that the current policy is not only inefficient in targeting poverty, but it may be unable to meet the challenges of growth, redistribution and conflict mitigation. The thesis, after further analyzing policy options, puts forward a package that is needed to reduce poverty in Rwanda in the long term and to break the poverty conflict trap. The prescribed package is put forward as a comprehensive and institutionalized social policy, which Rwanda so far does not have. / South Africa

Magister Legum - LLM / This study dealt with the impact of foreign direct investments on sustainable development in Africa in relation to poverty alleviation. The study aimed to show the link between these two areas and examine the impact of foreign direct investment on sustainable development, and whether such impact can lead to poverty alleviation and improve people's lives living under the poverty line. / South Africa

M.Comm. / The subject of the growth effects of remittances is characterised by different and conflicting perspectives. While migration optimists believe in positive growth effects of remittances, migration pessimists, on the other hand, challenge this position and claim that remittances have either a negative or statistically insignificant effect on economic growth. Those for remittances argue that remittances have a positive effect on economic growth mainly through subsequent increases in investment capital and human capital. Migration pessimists, however, stress that remittances negatively impact economic growth, mainly, because of inflationary pressures and moral hazards that result in reduced labour supply. Given such contrasting literature, this study makes an attempt to contribute to the existing literature by assessing the growth-effects of remittances in twenty-nine Sub-Saharan Africa countries over the period 1980-2008. The Arellano-Bover/Blundell-Bond GMM one-step estimator is used in the assessment. Empirical results from the study reveal evidence supporting for statistically significant positive growth effects of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study further reveals that these positive growth effects of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa happen through the human capital channel. Even when heterogeneity of sub-regions is taken into account, there is still evidence showing positive growth effects of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa. Results, however, reveal that in West Africa, remittances have a low positive effect on economic growth.

M.Com. (Economics) / The main purpose of this study was the descriptive analysis and theoretical evaluation of various economic forecasting techniques applicable to a wide variety of forecasting problems. A comprehensive review was given of the basic structure of the techniques (theory and mechanics). their appropriateness ,In different forecasting circumstances, their technical and other limitations, advantages and disadvantages, together with a guide to the better understanding and interpretation of their results. Many of the problem areas related to economic forecasting can be avoided or at least alleviated, by a proper study of the adequacy and other distinguishing characteristics of a specific forecasting methodology. Forecasting accuracy is a major interest of anyone concerned with the future. There are many different ways of saying that the future belongs to those who plan for It best. This Is certainly true in economics as the practice thereof is filled with uncertainties. The topic of this dissertation is, therefore, very relevant In today's modern world. Diagnosis and forecasting have become inevitable with the growth of the" risk factor" In this world. Efforts are constantly made to eliminate, neutralize or at least decrease as far as possible, the risk attendant to this uncertainty by accurately predicting the future values of important variables. The importance and need for improved economic forecasting has, without a doubt, grown tremendously in recent years. The list of forecasting application Is quite lengthy as virtually every important operating decision depends to some extent on a forecast. Probably the simplest definition of forecasting is that it Is a process which has as its objective the explaining and prediction of events or conditions which will occur at some future time. More precisely, economic forecasting attempts to predict the change In Important economic phenomena. The forecast must however not be seen as an end product, but rather as an ongoing process of input In the decision-making process. Forecasting Is both an art and a science, but although II is a form of art it Is not without structure. As with any worthwhile art form. the forecasting process Is definitive and systematic. A number of special tools and techniques can be used In predicting the future " values of economic variables. The objective selection among these forecasting techniques is extremely difficult. The many different types of forecasting methods available can be grouped into two main categories: (i) the qualitative forecasting methods and (II) the quantitative methods.

The South African government implements numerous strategies with the aim of reducing poverty. The social grant system is one of these. Social grants are aimed at reducing poverty as well as income inequality. Considering the growing number of social grant beneficiaries, people often question whether these grants reduce poverty and, if they do, whether they are effective.This treatise investigates the impact of social grants in poverty reduction. In order to investigate this, the researcher used the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng Province, as a study area. This study examines the different views of social grants beneficiaries, and the importance of prioritisation when using this unearned money. It alsoinvestigates the role played by the heads of household and shows how beneficiaries’ locations can influence the use of unearned income. Social grants dispense little money, but the researcher discovered that the responsibility of spending and allocating the money lies with the head of household. The descriptive statists show that social grants have created dependency and that families require exit strategies to stop depending entirely on these grants. Findings from the correlation matrix show both positive and negative correlations. Finally, the study has identified the need for an integrated strategy that will not only provide income, but that will also improve the lives of South Africans.

Economic growth or development, the process by which a nation gains wealth, is analysed in Part I. So far there is no theory which fully explains the phenomenon of sustained increases in the per capita income of a country. Probably, development is possible only if many economic and non-economic variables have values within certain relative ranges, which should be the subject of further study. In this thesis a dynamic consumption function has been postulated and used to construct a simulation model to help guide an economy's approach to sustained economic growth. Computer analyses with the model show the changes in per capita income as an economy approaches the "take-off" stage. They also suggest that, due to different existing values of the relevant variables, each country may find its optimum method of development to be different from others. It seems that early and large imports of foreign capital (a minimum of about 10 per cent of GNP annually), or a comparable reduction in personal consumption, are needed to initiate economic development. In Part II analyses indicate that a limited role can be played by forests in the poorly understood but urgently sought process of economic growth. Under usual circumstances, forests can help the economy move towards the take-off stage and meet the requirements created as development proceed. Forests, like any other resource, are important for development and human welfare. But, society must forego something when it uses any one resource. Foresters have often looked only at the benefits from forestry. It is essential to consider also the costs involved in using forests. The costs are in the form of missed opportunities to use forests fully or to replace them with a substitute for forest products. This thesis helps evaluate the role that forestry can play in economic development. The widely accepted principle of sustained yield forest management has been criticized. The principle of maximization of the present worth of net benefits from forest land is suggested as a desirable alternative. Forestry is different from other sectors in that (1) wood is its product as well as the major part of capital, (2) the period of production is long and (3) the product is very versatile. Forestry is suitable for being given priority in a national or regional development plan because it can (1) efficiently utilize under-employed rural resources, (2) produce important raw material for making paper which is necessary for human investments, (3) substitute for imports and earn foreign exchange in today's underdeveloped countries, (4) provide fuel and release cow dung for use in agricultural fields in some parts of the world and (5) serve as the basis for regional development where forests are plentiful. Commonly, if plans changes, wood grown for one purpose can be used easily for another. Most of these characteristics have been recognized by forestry economists but their studies have usually been based on historical evidence rather than analysis of possible future development. The future importance of forestry depends on its technological progress in relation to other sectors which are potential rivals of forestry. Forests can facilitate development and also help maintain economic growth. As per capita incomes rise, demands for forest products increase. Forest products needed to initiate and sustain development can be supplied best by managing forests in such a way that the present profits from forest property are maximized without detriment to the present worth of future profits. Profits then should be used for investment in the most economically desirable fields. It is shown that revised user cost concepts can be applied in forestry, These determine the optimum rate of forest harvesting and the amount of investments to be made in the present so that the present worth of the forests is maximized. Further refinements of decision theory are needed to solve the complex problems involved. Because there are many substitutes for them, only the most economical forest products will remain important in the long run. Forestry's role can be enhanced most effectively if foresters improve the technology employed in growing and utilizing forests. Finally, policy implications for underdeveloped countries in general, and India in particular, have been discussed. It is concluded that the policy of rigid sustained yield forest management should be rejected. It should be replaced by maximization of present worth of net benefits from forest land in each management unit. Then, forestry can play its maximum possible role in economic development. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate