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The purpose of this paper is to contribute to Liberia’s debate on economic policy, specifically, recent efforts around industrial-scale palm oil development against the context of the wider role of the rural sector in economic development.
A real understanding of the technical detail behind economic analyses, or the specific economic policies supported by experts, can seem a daunting task for non-specialists in effect excluding them from any real participation in public decision-making. Fortunately, the biggest part of economics is just common sense made complicated. Economic principles can provide a useful framework for thinking through public policy issues without excessive detail or complicated tools. Once these principles are understood and the facts are presented, citizens can make robust judgments on economic policies that affect their lives and livelihoods, and challenge the experts.
