What’s the Lee thesis? Why does it claim that authoritarianism helps poor nations better than democracy does? Amartya Sen claims in Development as Freedom that democracy is the solution to helping poor economies, but the Lee thesis states otherwise. The thesis states that authoritarianism eradicates poverty because of a focus on economic development rather than freedom. Let’s look at what Sen has to say about the Lee thesis and whether authoritarianism really is the answer to economic prosperity.
The Lee Thesis: Does Authoritarianism Help the Poor?










