Discute-se neste artigo que, embora Keynes não tenha sido um economista do desenvolvimento no sentido convencional, seu aparato teórico e pensamento sobre como as economias capitalistas funcionam e suas propostas em Bretton Woods, em 1944, para uma nova ordem monetária internacional têm relevância para os debates que ocorrem hoje sobre desenvolvimento econômico, particularmente no que diz respeito à liberalização financeira, o papel do governo em promover o nível de emprego e as conseqüências sobre instabilidade de preços de produtos primários.

It is argued in this paper that although Keynes was not a development economist in the conventional sense, his theoretical apparatus and thinking about how capitalist economies function, and his proposals at Bretton Woods in 1944 for a new international monetary order, have relevance for the debates that take place today in development economics, particularly regarding financial liberalisation, the role of government in achieving full employment and the consequences on primary product price instability.

Abstract This paper considers the various sources of internal and external saving to fund in vestment for promoting growth in developing countries, with specific reference to Mexico. The voluntary saving are discussed, and the recent research explaining differences in the domestic savings ratio across countries is reviewed. Toe controversial role of financial liberalisation is considerers and why countries need to tread with great care in the liberalisation process. Involuntary saving and tax effort is also discussed, and the role of foreign borrowing in raising the growth of income and output.

Resumen Este artículo considera varias de las fuentes de ahorro interno y externo para financiar inversión que promueva el crecimiento en los países en desarrollo, con referencia específica al caso de México. Se discute el ahorro voluntario y las investigaciones recientes que explican las diferencias en la proporción del ahorro doméstico a través de distintos países. El papel controversial de la liberalización financiera es discutida y también el porqué los países necesitan participar con mucho cuidado en el proceso de liberalización. El ahorro involuntario y los impuestos son también discutidos, el papel de los préstamos externos, para aumentar el crecimiento del ingreso y de la producción.