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The Political Economy of Developmental States in East Asia: South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan
by Tian HeThis 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.
The Political Economy of Devolution in Britain from the Postwar Era to Brexit
by Nick VlahosThis book examines the political economy of devolution in Britain from the postwar period to the present. It situates devolution in Britain within an understanding of the partisan recalibration of political, economic and democratic scales (or levels) of the state. The author utilizes various explanatory tools to unpack complex social, economic, spatial and political phenomena across national, regional and local scales. The book further contributes to our conceptual understanding of decentralization as a broader, comparative, phenomenon. Particular emphasis is placed on examining why decentralization and devolution occur at particular points in time, which enables the investigation into how political and fiscal powers are (re)organized at different levels of the state.
The Political Economy of Digital Automation: Measuring its Impact on Productivity, Economic Growth, and Consumption (Routledge Studies in the Economics of Innovation)
by Sreenath Majumder Anuradha SenGuptaWith digital automation becoming ubiquitous, the relationship between man and machine is being redefined. This book, through a focus on America, identifies the tension this relationship has produced, and how it has divided America socially, politically, and economically, ultimately breeding two fundamentally incompatible nations within one: the “forgotten America” and “elite America.” This book enables the reader to visualize the changes brought by automation on our producer and buyer identities, and suggests policy changes that global leaders could adopt to deal with the increasing discord. The book is heavily dependent on a few fundamental concepts of both economics and sociology, such as globalization, labor economics, and cultural homogenization. The book is ideally suited to students and academics researching political economics and sociology, with focuses on globalization, unemployment, and the social impacts of technological advances.
The Political Economy of Divergent Welfare States in the Global South: The Case of South Africa and Mauritius (International Political Economy Series)
by Elias PhaahlaThis study traces the welfare regimes of Mauritius and South Africa from the early 20th century focusing on the historical circumstances that gave rise to the dominance of state-funded old-age pensions within their respective welfare frameworks. It highlights intersections between powerful business interests, the state, and social forces that sowed the seeds of social entitlements. Due to different mobilisation efforts of these social actors, both countries have spawned welfare regimes of different persuasions. Mauritius has maintained its long-standing traditions as a social democracy stretching back to the late 1950s, while South Africa continues relentlessly in pursuit of a liberal welfare state, a journey it has treaded since 1928 when the old-age pension laws first came into effect. While unravelling the innermost workings of welfare state development in Mauritius and South Africa, it also probes the present political and economic circumstances that have kept these two welfare regimes resolutely unchanged. Against this backdrop, it draws parallels between current welfare outcomes and those of old as they continue to chart their way into the future.
The Political Economy of Divided Islands
by Godfrey BaldacchinoThe authors investigate the exceptional political economy of the ten inhabited islands whose territory is divided amongst two or more countries: that are unitary geographical spaces but fragmented polities.
The Political Economy of Dual Transformations
by David L. BartlettIn the early 1990s, scholars voiced skepticism about the capacity of Eastern Europe's new democracies to manage simultaneous political and economic reform. They argued that the surge of popular participation following democratization would thwart efforts by successor governments to enact market reforms that imposed high costs on major elements of post-Communist society. David Bartlett challenges the conventional wisdom regarding the hazards of "dual transformations": far from hindering marketization, democratization facilitated it. Bartlett argues that the transition to democracy in East Central Europe lowered the political barriers to market reforms by weakening the ability of actors most vulnerable to marketization to manipulate the existing institutional structure to stop or slow down the process. Although the analysis focuses on Hungary, whose long history of market reforms makes it an ideal vehicle for assessing the impact of institutional change on reform policy, the author shows how his findings call into question the use of "shock therapy" and arguments, based on the experience in East Asia, that economic development and democratization are incompatible. This book will appeal to economists, political scientists, and others interested in transition problems in formerly communist countries, democratic transitions, and the politics of stabilization and adjustment.
The Political Economy of EU Ties with Iraq and Iran
by Amir M. KamelThis book analyzes the failure of the EU's peace-through-trade policy in Iraq and Iran between 1979 and 2009 from a theoretical and empirical perspective. The author adds to the trade-peace theory debate and provides evidence supporting the need to review the EU's peace-through-trade-policy towards Iraq and Iran, and in general.
The Political Economy of East Asia: Striving for Wealth and Power
by Ming WanFor students of international political economy, it is hard to ignore the growth, dynamism, and global impact of East Asia. Japan and China are two of the largest economies in the world, in a region now accounting for almost 30 percent more trade than the United States, Canada, and Mexico combined. What explains this increasing wealth and burgeoning power? In his new text, Ming Wan illustrates the diverse ways that the domestic politics and policies of countries within East Asia affect the region’s production, trade, exchange rates, and development, and are in turn affected by global market forces and international institutions.Unlike most other texts on East Asian political economy that are essentially comparisons of major individual countries, Wan effectively integrates key thematic issues and country-specific examples to present a comprehensive overview of East Asia’s role in the world economy. The text first takes a comparative look at the region’s economic systems and institutions to explore their evolution—a rich and complex story that looks beyond the response to Western pressures. Later chapters are organized around close examination of production, trade, finance, and monetary relations. While featuring extended discussion of China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, Wan is inclusive in his analysis, with coverage including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. The text is richly illustrated with more than fifty tables, figures, and maps that present the latest economic and political data to help students better visualize trends and demographics. Each chapter ends with extensive lists of suggested readings.
The Political Economy of Eastern Europe 30 years into the ‘Transition’: New Left Perspectives from the Region (International Political Economy Series)
by Agnes Gagyi Ondřej Slačálek<p>By the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, in most parts of Eastern Europe, high expectations associated with postsocialist transition have been substituted by disillusionment. In some countries, right-wing populism made an ideological use of grievances caused by the devastating effects of market liberalization, to replace liberal political hegemony with authoritarian conservative nationalism. In other countries, we witness forms of neoliberalism with increasingly authoritarian elements. Beyond an internal process, what has come often to be described as Eastern Europe’s illiberal turn also marks a new shift of international attention on the region.<p> <p> This book represents a contribution to this debate from a distinctive East European perspective: that of new left scholars and activists from the region. Instead of selectively (re)writing the region’s history according to changing stakes of international discussions, the book joins those discussions from a perspective anchored in the experience of a generation whose lifetime coincides with the transformations of the postsocialist period. In contrast to the narrative of an overall illiberal shift, they represent the perspective of a new generation of East European left thinkers who came to develop an understanding of their environment in terms of its relations to global capitalist processes. A both theoretical and empirical contribution, the book showcases main lines of contemporary new left East European thought, and provides essential insights on topics conventionally associated with the issue of East European transition. As a contribution to contemporary debates on the present global socio-political transformation, this collection does not only seek to debate analytical statements, but also to change the field where analytical stakes are set, by adding the perspectives of those who think Eastern Europe’s global relations from within the regional context and its political stakes.<p>
The Political Economy of Education
by Martin CarnoyThe Political Economy of Education provides academically rigorous yet clear explanations of the economics and politics driving today's educational systems and how economists analyze them. The book covers a host of topics central to teaching about education and crucial to educational policy. These include how to use the tools of economic and political theory to take critical measure of education's role in social mobility and economic growth, whether good teachers can overcome social class and race achievement gaps, the effectiveness of early childhood and vocational education, and debates on school accountability and whether increasing spending on schooling improves quality. The book also explores worldwide changes in higher education, especially massification and increased stratification and privatization. Written for upper undergraduate and graduate students in economics, public policy, and education and packed with real-world examples, this is an essential text for anyone interested in gaining fresh and international perspectives on education.
The Political Economy of Education Reforms in Vietnam (Routledge Critical Studies in Asian Education)
by Nguyen Minh QuangThis book, drawing on a political economic perspective of education development, is a comprehensive account of the question "why some education systems flourish while others falter." It provides a state-of-the-art review of the Vietnamese way of education development, figuring out the pitfalls, challenges and opportunities of neoliberal reform. It also sheds new light on the rise of neoliberal capitalism in contemporary Vietnam as the country intensifies its market-oriented economic transition. Starting from educational development concerns, this book differentiates the growth and development concepts in education. While "growth with limited development" is well reflected in many developing education systems, the Vietnamese experience of education development stands to provide readers with unique insights about education in developing economies, especially in understanding how a socialist-oriented education system is struggling to thrive in the times of neoliberal capitalism. Authored by scholars specialising in Vietnamese education and politics, the chapters address key issues pertaining to the political economy of education reform in Vietnam and the government’s enduring efforts to drive education toward international standards through its costly market-infused education reforms. This book will appeal to postgraduate students, educators, educational policy-makers and scholars interested in Vietnamese studies, Vietnam education reforms, education governance, education for sustainability, internationalisation of education and the politics of education reforms.
The Political Economy of Education in Central Asia: Evidence from the Field (The Steppe and Beyond: Studies on Central Asia)
by Naureen Durrani Hélène ThibaultThis open access book is intended as an original contribution to the conversation on the role and challenges of education in Central Asia to promote social cohesion by looking at Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Examining education challenges within the countries’ wider historical, social, political, and cultural context, the contributions explore existing discourses concerning national identity, religion, language, gender, inclusion, internationalisation of education, and non-state actors through a Political Economy Analysis (PEA) lens. With the understanding that education is both a powerful mechanism of social reproduction in societies and a driver of social change, the book attempts to promote political economy analysis of education as a helpful analytical tool for educational debates and reform agendas in the region and thus will be a valuable resource for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars in this region and beyond.
The Political Economy of Education in South Asia: Fighting Poverty, Inequality, and Exclusion
by Md. Shahidul Islam John Richards Manzoor AhmedWith the exception of Sri Lanka, South Asian countries have not achieved quality basic education – an essential measure for escaping poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. In The Political Economy of Education in South Asia, John Richards, Manzoor Ahmed, and Shahidul Islam emphasize the importance of a dynamic system for education policy. The Political Economy of Education in South Asia documents the weak core competency (reading and math) outcomes in government primary schools in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and the consequent rapid growth of non-government schools over the last two decades. It compares the training, hiring, and management of teachers in South Asian schools to successful national systems ranging from Singapore to Finland. Discussing reform options, it makes the case public good and public priorities are better served when both public and non-government providers come under a strong public policy and accountability framework. The Political Economy of Education in South Asia draws on the authors' broad engagement in education research and practice in South Asia, as well as analysis by prominent professors of education and NGO leaders, to place basic education in a broad context and make the case that universal literacy and numeracy are necessary foundations for economic growth.
The Political Economy of Emerging Markets and Alternative Development Paths (International Political Economy Series)
by Tamás Gerőcs Judit RiczThis volume is the continuation of our research on economic and developmental policy-making in the global semi-periphery in the post-crisis cycle (see our two recently published volumes titled ‘Market-Liberalism and Economic Patriotism in Capitalist Systems’ edited by Gerőcs and Szanyi, 2019, Palgrave Macmillan and ‘The Post-Crisis Developmental State – Perspectives from the Global Periphery’ edited by Gerőcs and Ricz, 2021). Our new volume aims to be a contribution to the analysis of emerging market economies’ alternative development trajectories, as we explore the new perspectives on semi-peripheral dependent development since the Global Financial Crisis and especially amidst the new global pandemic, the COVID-19. The scope of comparative capitalism research has also been altered accordingly to include the analysis of emerging economies outside the core of the world system, and to make intertemporal comparisons possible (such as to define and characterise historical waves of state capitalism). Still, we are convinced that to better understand the current wave of state capitalism and to explore its national varieties there is a need to critically reconsider existing theoretical approaches and methodologies, and to search for new ones, if necessary. This book aims to be a contribution to the analysis of emerging market economies' alternative development trajectories and explores new perspectives on semi-peripheral dependent development, especially amidst COVID-19.
The Political Economy of Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa (Routledge Studies on the Political Economy of Africa)
by Lucky E. Asuelime Andrew Emmanuel OkemA deepening ecological crisis is rearing its head in sub-Saharan Africa, as it faces a myriad of challenges in regards to the development of its energy sector. The ‘dirty now and clean up later’ approach to the environment has a strong appeal, particularly because it is often thought of as the last place to try to edge in another priority - especially if that priority is perceived by many to be an economic luxury. Asuelime and Okem bring together a team of specialist contributors who investigate to what extent sub-Saharan Africa has displayed foresight or politico-economic integrity. The book shows the state’s ability to meet the demands of provision of energy in sub-Saharan Africa has led to heavy investments in infrastructure, transmission and distribution of energy to the citizens. However, the inefficiencies, corruption and unhealthy bureaucratic challenges that accompany this have led urgent problems, which will be thoroughly explored in this book. The Political Economy of Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa will be of interest to students and scholars of African Studies, Development Studies, political science and environment.
The Political Economy of Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka: Economic Liberalization, Mobilizational Resources, and Ethnic Collective Action (Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series)
by Nikolaos BiziourasAt the point of independence in 1948, Sri Lanka was projected to be a success story in the developing world. However, in July 1983 a violent ethnic conflict which pitted the Sinhalese against the Tamils began, and did not come to an end until 2009. This conflict led to nearly 50,000 combatant deaths and approximately 40,000 civilian deaths, as well as almost 1 million internally-displaced refugees and to the permanent migration abroad of nearly 130,000 civilians. With a focus on Sri Lanka, this book explores the political economy of ethnic conflict, and examines how rival political leaders are able to convince their ethnic group members to follow them into violent conflict. Specifically, it looks at how political leaders can influence and utilize changes in the level of economic liberalization in order to mobilize members of a certain ethnic group, and in the case of Sri Lanka, shows how ethnic mobilization drives can turn violent when minority ethnic groups are economically marginalized by the decisions that the majority ethnic group leaders make in order to stay in power. Taking a political economy approach to the conflict in Sri Lanka, this book is unique in its historical analysis and provides a longitudinal view of the evolution of both Tamil and Sinhalese ethnic drives. As such, this interdisciplinary study will be of interest to policy makers as well as academics in the field of South Asian studies, political science, sociology, development studies, political economy and security studies.
The Political Economy of Euro-Mediterranean Relations: European Neighbourhood Policy in North Africa
by Christos KourtelisThe author analyses the implementation of the agricultural and industrial parts of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. This study forms the first comprehensive attempt to examine the EU-led reforms and initiatives in the two sectors up until the beginning of the Arab Spring. It also evaluates the development of the policy after the changes of the regimes in Tunisia and Egypt until the 2014 elections which brought Sisi in power in Egypt and Essebsi in Tunisia. Following a sectoral approach to assess the implementation of the ENP, Christos Kourtelis investigates which interest groups win and which lose from the policy.
The Political Economy of European Employment: European Integration and the Transnationalization of the (Un)Employment Question (RIPE Series in Global Political Economy)
by Henk OverbeekThis edited collection examines unemployment in Europe in the context of globalisation, the implementation of European Monetary Union and the Eastern enlargement of the EU. It combines theoretical chapters with detailed case-studies of Britain, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Central Europe.
The Political Economy of European Integration: Theory and Analysis
by Amy Verdun Erik JonesThis book provides a balanced introduction to diverse political economy perspectives on different aspects of European integration, demonstrating both the importance and the potential of research in this area. The volume includes three types of chapters: broad literature reviews, narrower applications of existing arguments, and new syntheses of competing claims. The authors also present a critical appraisal of how scholars in the EU and US use theory to understand European integration, and examine issues such as citizens' attitudes, perceptions and preferences of actors, the role of non-state actors, principle-agent questions, and the role and the autonomy of European institutions.This empirically informed and methodologically rigorous volume will be of great interest to students and researchers in the fields of comparative political economy, EU studies, international political economy and international organizations.
The Political Economy of European Social Democracy: A Critical Realist Approach
by David J. BaileyThis book takes an in-depth look into recent developments in European social democracy. It begins by highlighting the somewhat paradoxical turn by a number of social democratic parties towards enhanced support for European integration, a move that has occurred despite the apparently ‘neoliberal’ direction of much of EU policy-output. A critical realist method is adopted, informed by both Marxist and anarchist critiques of social democratic parties, to argue that we can view this paradoxical development as resulting from the inherently unstable representation of constituents’ demands for decommodification, a process central to traditional social democratic parties. In making this argument, the book traces the transformation from ‘traditional’ to ‘new’ (or ‘third way’) social democratic parties in the UK, Sweden, France, Italy and Spain. It also outlines some of the most important developments in social democratic policy-making at the European level. The book therefore provides an in-depth, theoretically-original, analytical narrative of the key empirical developments to affect contemporary social democratic parties in recent years. In highlighting some of the contradictions inherent to both ‘traditional’ and ‘new’ social democratic parties, the book does much to suggest some of the reasons for their continued decline over the past three decades. David Bailey completed his PhD at the London School of Economics, and currently teaches at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on social democratic parties and European integration. He has published articles in the Journal of Common Market Studies, and Comparative European Politics.
The Political Economy of European Union Competition Policy: A Case Study of the Telecommunications Industry (New Political Economy Ser.)
by Tuna BaskoyIn the European Union (EU), competition policy occupies a central place amongst other EU public policies and is the first truly supranational public policy regulating market competition. One of the stated objectives of EU competition policy is to prevent excessive concentration of economic power in the hands of a few. This book investigates the pol
The Political Economy of Evaluation in Greece: Interdisciplinary Perspectives for an Inclusive and Forward-Looking Evaluation (The Political Economy of Greek Growth up to 2030)
by Panagiotis E. Petrakis Pantelis C. Kostis Paraskevi V. BoufounouThis contributed volume explores the relationships between politics, economics, and evaluation. With a special focus on Greece, it addresses how evaluations within different sectors impact policymaking and explains what this means for sustainable development. Featuring interdisciplinary perspectives on economic policy evaluation for inclusive and future-forward public policy, the chapters rethink and reform evaluation to meet modern economic challenges. The book outlines the concept and principles of resource allocation in evaluation, offering a framework for economic transformation. It highlights the role of evaluation in achieving sustainable development. It provides a new way to measure the quality of public policy, governance, and economic policy.
The Political Economy of Expertise: Information and Efficiency in American National Politics
by Kevin M. EsterlingThe Political Economy of Expertise is a carefully argued examination of how legislatures use expert research and testimony. Kevin Esterling demonstrates that interest groups can actually help the legislative process by encouraging Congress to assess research and implement well-informed policies. More than mere touts for the interests of Washington insiders, these groups encourage Congress to enact policies that are likely to succeed while avoiding those that have too great of a risk of failure. The surprising result is greater legislative efficiency. The Political Economy of Expertise illustrates that this system actually favors effective and informed decision making, thereby increasing the likelihood that new policies will benefit the American public.
The Political Economy of Federalism in Nigeria (Federalism and Internal Conflicts Ser.)
by Dele BabalolaThis book uses the political economy approach to examine the relative failure of federalism in Nigeria. It shows the nexus between the political and the economic aspects of the country’s federalism. The central feature of Nigeria’s political economy is the relationship between oil resources and the state. The author argues that the inability of the federal government to distribute the oil wealth fairly amongst the component units contributes to the dysfunctional character of the federal system. This deficiency is rooted in the country’s unbalanced political economy, which promotes over-dependency on oil and consequently an over-centralised federal system. The book concludes that despite its complexities, federalism has become the basis for the country’s stability. Therefore, ethno-regional demands for ‘true federalism’ will continue until the political elite reform the ailing federal system.
The Political Economy of Fiscal Consolidation in Japan
by Toshihiro Ihori Kimiko TeraiThis book investigates the reasons for persistent public deficits and delayed fiscal reform in Japan, placing a special emphasis on political economy aspects. Japan is confronted with the need to pursue fiscal discipline for fiscal consolidation and implement structural reforms for reorganizing fiscal expenditures. Focusing on particular policy fields including social security, female labor supply, public works, and intergovernmental transfer schemes, the book clarifies economic and political elements that have hindered effective steps toward these two goals. Facing population aging and a business downturn, the Japanese government was urged to increase social security expenditures and the budget for Keynesian stimulus policies. As elucidated in the book, the institutional design has worked to over-represent the demands of elderly generations and local interest groups and to expand these expenditures. Rigorous theoretical and numerical analyses reported throughout the book consequently provide readers with insights into incentive designs and institutional reforms necessary for fiscal consolidation, also presenting points of view for public policy and public debate.