WAKEFORD, Jeremy

(Switzerland)

Title of contribution:

Stages of Economic Development: An Integral View

Where & when:

Toscana I.
Friday, May 29th, 2020
11:30 – 13:30

Presentationt: Stages of Economic Development: An Integral View

The paper presents an integrally informed exploration of stages of economic development in the lower-right quadrant (social systems), attempting to combine both rational-scientific and intuitive/vision-logic approaches. It reviews and compares several well-known models of stages of development with a view to establishing common patterns. It seeks to identify levels along a number of prominent lines of development that are both distinct and inter-related, such as energy systems, modes of transport and communication, monetary systems, etc. It also explores the possibility of fractal or holographic patterns, in which the major stages are echoed by similar minor waves of development within, for example, the industrial techno-economic stage. Furthermore, the concept of “leap-frogging” will be interrogated, in terms of whether historically observed stages of development can be skipped by today’s less developed countries.

About Wakeford Jeremy:

Jeremy’s mission is to apply integral theory to the discipline of economics to help accelerate sustainable development in practice. He holds a Master’s in Economics from Cambridge University and a PhD in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University, South Africa. His career spans academia, think tanks and impact investing, first in South Africa and more recently in Switzerland.