Paul Streeten
Encyclopedia
Paul Streeten is an economics professor. He was a professor at Boston University
, USA until his retirement. He has been a distinguished academic working on development economics since the 1950s.
. He became involved in political activism at an early age, and from 1933 on he was under continual threat of arrest and imprisonment. The 1938 Anschluss
forced his family to flee Austria, scattering around the globe Paul was taken in by a kindly English family, but in 1940 he was imprisoned as an enemy alien
. He was placed in several different camps, and in each one he occupied himself by setting up lecture or literary study groups. In 1942 he was able to join the UK military in a commando group
destined to fight for the liberation of Sicily
. While awaiting the commando action he again set up a drama group. When the action did take place (1943), Streeten was landed behind enemy lines. After a few weeks of heavy fighting, he was severely wounded.
in 1944. After receiving a degree he obtained a teaching post there (1948) and remained until 1964.
(Streeten was one founder of that unit). He was associated with the UNDP group
that creates the annual Human Development Report
He served as founding editor of the journal World Development
from 1972. In the 1960s, he worked at the new Ministry of Overseas Development in the United Kingdom
and acted as the director of the Institute of Development Studies
(IDS). He became Warden
of Queen Elizabeth House at the University of Oxford
. Starting in 1990 he has been involved with both into the UNDP's Human Development Report
and UNESCO
's World Culture Reports.
In the 1980s Streeten became a professor at Boston University
, and while there also served as director of the World Institute for Development Economics Research.
In the 1960s he was deputy director general of the Economic Planning Staff of the Ministry of Overseas Development
and acting director of the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex before becoming Warden of Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford. In 1976-1980 and 1984–1985, he was a senior adviser with the World Bank, helping to formulate policies on basic needs. Since 1990, he has provided intellectual inputs into the UNDP's Human Development Report and UNESCO's World Culture Reports.
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, USA until his retirement. He has been a distinguished academic working on development economics since the 1950s.
Biography
Born in Austria, Streeten spent his formative years in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He became involved in political activism at an early age, and from 1933 on he was under continual threat of arrest and imprisonment. The 1938 Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
forced his family to flee Austria, scattering around the globe Paul was taken in by a kindly English family, but in 1940 he was imprisoned as an enemy alien
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
. He was placed in several different camps, and in each one he occupied himself by setting up lecture or literary study groups. In 1942 he was able to join the UK military in a commando group
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
destined to fight for the liberation of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. While awaiting the commando action he again set up a drama group. When the action did take place (1943), Streeten was landed behind enemy lines. After a few weeks of heavy fighting, he was severely wounded.
Education and early career
Streeten became a naturalized UK citizen. He entered Balliol College, OxfordBalliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
in 1944. After receiving a degree he obtained a teaching post there (1948) and remained until 1964.
Career
Streeten's institutional affiliations include the Development Studies unit at the University of SussexUniversity of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
(Streeten was one founder of that unit). He was associated with the UNDP group
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
that creates the annual Human Development Report
He served as founding editor of the journal World Development
World Development
World Development is a multi-disciplinary scientific journal of development studies, published monthly....
from 1972. In the 1960s, he worked at the new Ministry of Overseas Development in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and acted as the director of the Institute of Development Studies
Institute of Development Studies
The Institute of Development Studies based at the University of Sussex is a global organisation for research, teaching and communications on international development....
(IDS). He became Warden
Warden (college)
A warden is the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford:* All Souls College* Greyfriars* Keble College* Merton College* New College* Nuffield College...
of Queen Elizabeth House at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. Starting in 1990 he has been involved with both into the UNDP's Human Development Report
Human Development Report
The Human Development Report is an annual milestone publication by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme .-History:...
and UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Culture Reports.
In the 1980s Streeten became a professor at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and while there also served as director of the World Institute for Development Economics Research.
In the 1960s he was deputy director general of the Economic Planning Staff of the Ministry of Overseas Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
and acting director of the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex before becoming Warden of Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford. In 1976-1980 and 1984–1985, he was a senior adviser with the World Bank, helping to formulate policies on basic needs. Since 1990, he has provided intellectual inputs into the UNDP's Human Development Report and UNESCO's World Culture Reports.
Major published works
Works of Paul Streeten include:- "Elasticity Optimism and Pessimism in International Trade", 1954, Economia Internazionale
- "Programs and Prognoses", 1954, QJE
- "Growth, The Terms of Trade and the Balance of Trade", with J. Black, 1957 Economie Appliquee
- Economic Integration: Aspects and problems, 1961.
- The Frontiers of Development Studies, 1972.
- "The Limits of Development Research", 1974, World Development
- "Policies Towards Multinationals", 1975,World Development
- "New Strategies for Development", with F. Stewart, 1976, Oxford EP
- Foreign Investment, Transnationals and Developing Countries, with S. Lall, 1977
- Development Perspectives, 1981
- First Things First: Meeting basic human needs in developing countries, with others, 1981
- "Approaches to a New International Economic Order", 1982, World Development
- "Development Dichotomies", 1983, World Development
- "Thinking about Development and Globalisation: Threat or Opportunity?" (Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 1997 - A volume of essays in his honour, "Theory and Reality in Development: Essays in Honour of Paul Streeten, ed. by Sanjaya LallSanjaya LallSanjaya Lall was a development economist, Professor of Economics and Fellow of Green College, Oxford University...
and Frances StewartFrances StewartFrances Julia Stewart is Professor of Development Economics and Director of the Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity , University of Oxford. A pre-eminent development economist, she was named one of fifty outstanding technological leaders for 2003 by Scientific American...
(1986)
Notable quotations
- "I have observed a project in which the poor underwent training in the hope of obtaining credit afterward, but later found the credit to be unnecessary. With the knowledge of simple bookkeeping and cost accounting, they were able to increase the profits of their microenterprises enough to dispense with credit." (from Streeten's review of Dr. Yunus'sMuhammad YunusMuhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi economist and founder of the Grameen Bank, an institution that provides microcredit to help its clients establish creditworthiness and financial self-sufficiency. In 2006 Yunus and Grameen received the Nobel Peace Prize...
biography, Banker to the Poor, quoted at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2006/09/letterto.htm