SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This paper considers North Africa’s recent trajectory of growth and considers critically its prospects for achieving inclusive growth in light of the recent political and social upheavals. It starts by reviewing the evolution of thinking on growth and distribution in economic theory and development policy showing how pro-poor growth strategies have given way to concerns about inequality in recent years. It then examines the concept of inclusive growth asking whether and to what extent it differs from pro-poor growth both analytically and in practice. After this, a wide range of performance indicators pertaining to growth and distribution in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia are examined in some detail. It analyses, where possible, the experience of these countries over time and in a comparative context with other developing regions. The following section 5 then offers a methodology for constructing a single combined score for measuring inclusive growth in these and a number of other Less Developed Countries for comparison purposes. It ends by critically re-examining prospects for inclusive growth in North Africa and challenges and opportunities this course of development strategy may entail in years to come.