The End of the Developmental State? brings together leading scholars of development to assess the current status of the "developmental state" in several developing and transitional economies of South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, China, South Africa, Brazil and India. Has the concept of the developmental state become outmoded? These authors would suggest not. However, they do argue that the historical trajectories of developmental states in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe suggest all too clearly that the concept must be re-examined critically and creatively. The range and diversity of their positions and their rejection of stale programmatic positions from the past will revitalize the debate on the role of the state in social and economic transformation in the twenty-first century. By bringing together careful comparative analyses of national cases, in both the Global North and South, the volume highlights pivotal conditions - economic restructuring, domestic politics, epistemic shifts and ecological limits - that are forcing revision of the goals and strategies of developmental states and suggests that states that ignore these new conditions will indeed see the "end of the developmental state".

About the Author
Michelle Williams is Associate Professor in Sociology and Chairperson of the Global Labour University Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).

Reviews

"What role can the developmental state play in addressing the complex challenges of the 21st century? Can economic competiveness be promoted along with inclusion, participation and sustainability? What are the capacities, institutions, social bases and political coalitions that can underwrite an effective state in a globalizing world? The End of the Developmental State? not only provides a new analytical framework to tackle these critical questions but does so through a rich collection of grounded and theoretically innovative papers that shed new light on key cases. Rarely has such a collection been more timely, or more certain, to animate the debate on development."

- Patrick Heller, Professor of Sociology, Brown University

"This remarkable collection forces a major re-think of the idea of 'the developmental state' against the background of neo-liberal triumphalism. Going beyond formulaic theoretical models of recent decades, it insists upon the relevance of revised and revitalised notions of the developmental state, not merely for the South, but for a Northern hemisphere presently thrust into capitalist crisis. An absolutely essential and innovative read for all scholars of development."

- Roger Southall, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand

"Critical knowledge on developmental states has lagged far behind the seismic transformations in the global economy in recent years. These shifts have profoundly affected the political contours and economic fortunes of both old and aspiring developmental states. Contributors to The End of the Development State? probe the experiences of key contemporary developmental states within a tightly-woven comparative theoretical framework. The book illuminates the opportunities and obstacles facing these countries and makes a significant contribution to debates on the roles of states and markets in development."

- Gilbert Khadiagala, Professor of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand

"Leading authorities from around the world examine the concrete challenges of state-led development. Everything you want to know about the developmental state and why its end might have arrived."

- Michael Burawoy, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley

Book Information
ISBN 9781138953840
Author Michelle Williams
Format Paperback
Page Count 258
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 181g