Mr. Lin goes to Washington

Justin Lin is apparently poised to become the World Bank's next chief economist, following the departure of Francois Bourguignon. LIn is an inspired choice for a number of reasons. First and foremost, this is the first time that the Bank has appointed an economist from a developing world.  Second, the appointment recognizes the importance of China. Third, Justin is an institution builder. (I was his guest at the China Center for Economic Research and was very impressed with what he has built there.) Fourth, Justin is a risk-taker. (How else can one interpret his defection to mainland China from Taiwan in 1979 by swimming across the strait?)  And Justin is a very good economist on top. All are reasons to be happy about.

Let's see how he will manage the bureaucracy...

Comments

[cvj]

I found his swimming from Taiwan to China hard to believe until i checked in Wikipedia that he actually swam from Taiwan-administered Kinmen which is just off the mainland. Amazing feat nonetheless.

[hari]

Dani -

This is great news - finally a Chinese to advise the IBRD!

[Belinda]

The Economist just profiled him.

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10534473

[Adrian]

Dani - are you too optimistic? Consider for instance of his explanation of 'the China miracle' (2003):

“The adoption of the leap-forward strategy before the reform caused China's industrial structure to deviate from the optimum pattern determined by the country's comparative advantage ... This distorted industrial structure ran contrary to the general laws of economic development, and has led to negative economic growth on several occasions. Since the 1978 reform, however, the bias against labour-intensive industries has been gradually alleviated and the distortion in industrial structure has been gradually corrected”

Or take the quote from The Economist's profile.

Is his view not quite different from yours?

[C. Ryan]

To respond to Adrian's concerns from The China Miracle, I think the Economist said it best in the review: "So his intellectual portfolio is perfectly hedged." Given the rest of his background, he seems like a natural consensus builder?

[MJ]

a video of a lecture of him
http://bayesianheresy.blogspot.com/2008/01/taiwan-born-justin-yifu-lin-to-be-world.html
http://bayesianheresy.blogspot.com/2008/01/economist-who-swarm-from-democracy-to.html

[Thomas]

I though honest and trust are those very essential, and necessary elements for any economist. Unfortunately Mr. Lin appointment to World Bank is a clear and very obvious exception.
Can’t be please, can we?

[Adam Jackson]

Adrian - I don't think it is. Subsidising industries that run totally against a country's static CA only works with the best of governments and situations.

But his view that "as an economy develops, the state should coax firms into more sophisticated industries. This prodding may be needed for several reasons. To cite one: firms may not know which industries are viable, and which are not. So the government should subsidise pioneers who break a path for others" lies very close to Dani's thinking as far as I can see.

[Tom]

Justin Lin, as a former officer in the same army that lost the Chinese Civil War, was following an illustrious tradition.

Indeed, the Communists would have had a much harder time winning the war if they hadn't been able to persuade so many Nationalist generals to switch over to the winning side.

[term papers writing]

Blogs are so interactive where we get lots o informative on any topics nice job keep it up !!

http://www.usatermpapers.com