Burma’s Economy 2010: A Fresh Look at Some Elemental Issues

By Sean Turnell • September 1, 2010

The serial underperformer of the Asia-Pacific, Burma’s economy is unbalanced, volatile, and largely without the institutions and qualities necessary to achieve sustainable economic growth and development. Using new and hitherto largely unobtainable data, this paper explores the fundamentals of Burma’s economy, examining concerns over economic growth, public finances, monetary and financial policies, international trade and investment, privatisation actions, and post-Cyclone Nargis aid. The paper concludes pessimistically as to the likelihood of meaningful change in Burma in the foreseeable future.

Sean Turnell is a professor in the Economics Department at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and is a editor with the Burma Economic Watch.

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