Colonial origins of comparative development in Ghana

Iddrisu Kambala, Mohammed (2022): Colonial origins of comparative development in Ghana. Forthcoming in: Journal of Development Studies

Abstract

A striking feature of Ghana’s development landscape is the stark development disparity between a relatively developed South and a trailing North. Explanations for the disparity have often been hinged on differences in geography and past colonial experience. In this study, I provide an empirical justification for the historical hypothesis that the dynamics of colonial rule contributed significantly to the development divergence between the North and the South. I exploit the asymmetric regional distribution of past colonial public investments in education, health and infrastructure to show that the dynamics of colonial rule explain a significant portion of the development disparity between the two regions. I also survey compelling historical anecdotes to show that prior to the colonial project the North was a relatively prosperous region.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: colonial rule; development disparity; colonial investments; Northern Ghana; Southern Ghana
• Subjects: N - Economic History > N0 - General > N00 - General; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O10 - General; Z - Other Special Topics > Z0 - General

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