Robert Wade (scholar)

Robert Wade is a political economist specializing in global political economy, development studies, and institutional economics. He is a Professor of Political Economy and Development at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Wade's research has focused primarily on the political economy of industrial policy, inequality, and environmental issues, particularly in developing countries. He is well-known for his work on East Asian development, including his critical analysis of the "East Asian Miracle" and his focus on the role of state intervention in promoting economic growth. He has also written extensively on the World Bank, global governance, and the increasing concentration of income and wealth globally.

His notable publications include Governing the Market: Economic Theory and the Role of Government in East Asian Industrialization (1990, 2004), which challenges neoliberal interpretations of East Asian development and argues for the importance of strategic state intervention. He has also contributed significantly to debates about the measurement and interpretation of inequality, emphasizing the political and social consequences of rising disparities. Wade's work is characterized by its empirical rigor, theoretical sophistication, and engagement with real-world policy challenges. He is considered a leading scholar in his field.