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A World without Farmers ? The Lewis Path Revisited

Year: 2013

Type: report

Abstract: This paper questions the Lewis Path perspective of a "world without agriculture" which underpins the "structural transformation" paradigm of "modern growth." It shows that the Lewis Path is only one of four potential structural paths, and that half of the world's population is spiralling into a "Lewis Trap" with more farmers and an increasing income gap between them and other workers. After showing how land constraints and the productivity dynamics outside agriculture might prevent this population from switching to a Lewis Path, it delineates the condition of an alternative path that would not transfer the disparity problem to cities.

Source: HAL

Authors: Dorin, Bruno, Hourcade, Jean Charles, Benoit-Cattin, Michel

Institutions: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, CIRED

Language: English

Topic: Economic Theory and Policy

Subfield: General Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Zero hunger, No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W4291217599

Cites:

Cited by: 20

Related to: 10