ABSTRACT
The study of economics in Africa was dominated until the mid-1970s by liberal theories of development and accommodation to a world market. Against a background of increased economic and technological dependence, Central African political leadership has played little, if any, positive role in solving problems of mass poverty and increasing unemployment. Central Africa needs the best possible future studies to master its own destiny, yet, perhaps as a direct result of its French colonial heritage, the phenomenon of centralized economic development planning has gained currency among the Central African Republic (CAR) bureaucratic bourgeoisie. The stated policy of the Mitterrand government from mid-1981 was that aid to the CAR should come not only from governmental agencies and multinational companies but also from trade unions, municipalities, and professional bodies. One of the major constraints to economic growth in the CAR continues to be the nation's landlocked status.
