Current inquiries into the political economy of financial policymaking in Malaysia tend to focus on the high-level drama of crisis politics or simply point to the limited impact of post-crisis financial reforms, given that politico-business relations have remained close. In so doing, pundits ignore a number of intriguing questions: what is the relationship between financial development and financialisation and how has it played out in the Malaysian context? And more generally: how can a country like Malaysia become significantly more financially developed, yet fail to emancipate the financial system from political control; a core element of the financial development discourse?

To unravel the complexities of this puzzle, this book subjects the history and contemporary practices of financial policymaking in Malaysia to scrutiny. It argues that to understand financial development in Malaysia, its progress and reversals, it is important to conceptualise it as a political, rather than a merely technical process. In so doing, the book echoes a more profound concern in the political economy literature, namely the evolving relationship between states and markets, and the supposed retreat or reassertion of the state at a time of increasing (financial) globalisation. The book can generate further insights into the evolving role of the state with regard to broader processes of development and marketisation, as they relate specifically to finance.

About the Author

Lena Rethel is Associate Professor of International Political Economy at the University of Warwick.

Reviews

"This book provides a timely and insightful look at financial development in Malaysia, emphasising how the interplay of political dynamics and financial policymaking and reform ultimately reinforces crony capitalism even while aiming for an inclusive and efficient financial system." - Helen E S Nesadurai, Professor, Monash University Malaysia

Book Information
ISBN 9780367684785
Author Lena Rethel
Format Paperback
Page Count 134
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 163g