Abstract

BooK lù:VIEWS policymakers deciding against structural tial: Economie Development in Rural reforms are victims of erroneous conclu­ America successfully dispels policy myths sions by analysts/technocrats, whose tools concerning the efficacy of high-tech in­ from neoclassical economies are inade­ dustrial strategies in peripheral areas. The quate for the job. The flaws of the analyses work also supports the contention that apart, however, this view gives undue policymakers must face up to the urgency importance to technocrats. In reality, the and challenges of combating the economie policy/program analyses they prepare are decline of rural America. By providing an a demand-driven rather than a supply­ up-to-date and concise summary of recent driven phenomenon. Policymakers, in­ academie literature on this topic, it cluding the international agencies, often discourages policymakers from consider­ use the technocrats to impart credibility ing high technology as a viable option for to their predetermined orientation. Not the poorest and most peripheral rural many analysts offering alternative pre­ economies. scriptions can expect to be employed by One is apt to question the au thor' s these agencies or to influence their rationale for examining two seemingly decisions. incompatible topics- high tech and rural N. S. Jodha economie development-especially when International