Ha-Joon Chang
Cambridge heterodox economist who kicked away the development ladder and debunked free market myths
Ha-Joon Chang is Research Professor of Economics at SOAS University of London and co-director of the Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation. His research covers trade and industrial policy, productive capabilities, institutions and development, the global economic system, and the development history of today's rich countries. After a long career at Cambridge, he moved to SOAS in 2022. Kicking Away the Ladder and 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism present his critique of free-trade orthodoxy and single-paradigm economics; his historical interpretation and industrial-policy recommendations are also contested over causal identification and contemporary applicability.
Methodologies
- Historical Policy Comparative Analysis - Identify double standards by comparing the actual policies developed countries used during their industrialization with their policy recommendations to developing countries.
- Free Market Myth Deconstruction Tool - Identify implicit assumptions about free markets and use historical and institutional evidence to reveal their politically constructed nature.
Key decisions and timeline
- Born in Seoul, South Korea - Growing background has a profound impact on scholars' research directions; scholars who personally experienced economic transformation often have unique perspectives on development issues
- Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Seoul National University - Scholars who grew up during economic transitions often have intuitive understanding advantages on development issues
- PhD in Economics from Cambridge University - Choosing institutions with heterodox traditions can provide greater academic freedom for non-mainstream research
Beliefs and mental models
- Rich Countries Kicked Away the Development Ladder Through Free Trade Policy - Today's developed countries (UK, US, Germany, Japan) universally used tariff protection, industrial subsidies, and infant industry protection during their own industrialization; once they became industrial powers, they turned to promoting free trade through international institutions, effectively kicking away the development ladder that late-developing countries could use to catch up.
- Free Markets Are Political Constructs, Not Natural States - Free markets do not exist naturally; they are constructed through specific laws, institutions, and political choices. The boundaries of markets (what can be bought and sold, how) are always the result of political decisions; there are no completely free markets, only different types of market regulation.
- Infant Industry Protection Is a Legitimate Development Strategy - Emerging industries in developing countries initially lack economies of scale and technological accumulation, making them unable to compete with mature industries in developed countries under free competition; an appropriate protection period (tariffs, subsidies) can allow these industries to accumulate capabilities and ultimately become internationally competitive—this is the common path of all historically successful industrializing countries.
- Development Ladder Theory - Identify the policy tools used by developed countries during their catch-up phase, revealing the historical pattern of them blocking late-developing countries from using the same tools through international institutions after their own success.
- Free Market Myth Deconstruction - Identify common myths about free markets and use historical evidence to reveal the politically constructed nature of markets.
- Institutional Fit Analysis - Evaluate whether specific institutional arrangements are compatible with development stage, historical context, and local conditions, rather than pursuing universally optimal institutions.