This book investigates whether producing nations could have mitigated the economic impact of the post-1980 commodity price collapse through strategic supply management. The authors, Alfred Maizels, George Mavrotas, and Robert W. Bacon, utilize their expertise in development economics to construct new econometric models. By analyzing historical market data, they argue that coordinated supply control mechanisms could have stabilized prices and protected the economies of developing nations from severe volatility.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of commodity market stabilization and development policy. Readers frequently note the technical density of the econometric analysis, which serves as a foundational reference for understanding the economic challenges faced by commodity-dependent nations.