MACMILLAN The Political Economy of Developmental States in East Asia: South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan

Product Description This book explores the variations in the transformation of the Asian developmental state in South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Based on an original theory, the author argues that these variations are influenced by two factors: industrial structure and democratic transition, both of which are shaped by the strategic calculations of the ruling elites to maintain power. The theory concerns two concurrent political processes during the state’s development process, namely the emergence of economic interest groups with varying levels of policy constraints on the state; and the process of democratic transition driven by the rise of the middle class. The book will appeal to students and researchers in the fields of Asian politics, development studies, political economy and comparative politics. Review “Following the distinguished tradition of research on developmental states, Tian He presents a cogent explanation for how these states have evolved in South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, and why this transformation has differed for them due to their respective industrial structure and politics of democratic transition. This book provides a persuasive synthesis and should be read by all students of rising political economies.” (Steve Chan, College Professor of Distinction, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA) “Tian He has produced a theoretically innovative book that makes a signal contribution to the analysis of East Asian political economy. The central puzzle of this book is why the transformation of the developmental state proceeded so differently within East Asia. It is based on detailed and theoretically informed case studies of Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. His complex and sophisticated model is organized around two key interacting explanatory variables: the nature of the democratic transition and the industrial structure of a political economy. It is vital reading for anyone who wants to understand this subject fully.” (Cal Clark, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Auburn University, USA) From the Back Cover This book explores the variations in the transformation of the Asian developmental state in South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Based on an original theory, the author argues that these variations are influenced by two factors: industrial structure and democratic transition, both of which are shaped by the strategic calculations of the ruling elites to maintain power. The theory concerns two concurrent political processes during the state’s development process, namely the emergence of economic interest groups with varying levels of policy constraints on the state; and the process of democratic transition driven by the rise of the middle class. The book will appeal to students and researchers in the fields of Asian politics, development studies, political economy and comparative politics.  Tian He is a research fellow at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. About the Author Tian He is a research fellow at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China.