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The relevance of the Developmental state theory

Structure of the presentation. Relevant in what way?The Dark undersideDemocracyWelfareCan the developmental state overcome its dark underside? Comparative analysis: Mauritius and Taiwan/South Korea Implications for developmental state theoryConclusion: The relevance of development state theor

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The relevance of the Developmental state theory

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    1. The relevance of the Developmental state theory Can the developmental state overcome its ”dark underside”?

    2. Structure of the presentation Relevant in what way? The Dark underside Democracy Welfare Can the developmental state overcome its dark underside? Comparative analysis: Mauritius and Taiwan/South Korea Implications for developmental state theory Conclusion: The relevance of development state theory

    3. Relevant in what way? Can it be transferred? (Evans 1995) Should it be transferred? (Kohli 2004: 420-425) The latter is my focus Social science is inherently normative and therefore needs to reflect on its prescriptions ”Statist... Can be criticized for its identification with interests of holders of state power and incumbents in high-level positions of policy decision making” (Hee-Yeon 1998: 130) The research question: Can the developmental state theory overcome the dark underside?

    4. What is ”the dark underside”? Deyo (1989: 1): ”A preoccupation with the sources of growth [has] diverted attention from a dark underside of the East Asian ’miracle’: the extreme subordination and exclusion of workers” My focus: Undemocratic Lack of state welfare Of course the list could go on: Militaristic, environmental degradation, gender biased etc.

    5. Undemocratic ”[T]he earlier conceptions of the developmental state paid no heed to the democratic aspect of the developmental state. This is partly because some scholars regarded the repressive nature of the state as one of the factors that enhanced its developmental capacity” (Edigheji 2005: 12) The arguments against democracy: Political argument: Repression of civil society a prerequisite for state autonomy (Johnson 1987: 142-143; Wade 1990: 372-375; Kohli 2004: 421) Economic argument: Consumption vs. investments (Haggard 2004: 58)

    6. Lack of welfare ”The state [in East Asia] has invested heavily in education and human capital formation. Yet the welfare state function has been virtually absent” (Önis 1991: 113) What is development? Growth (+ equality) (Evans 1995: 82) But what about welfare? Especially relevant in the transition to industrialized society (Polanyi 2001; Stewart 2006: 8) The arguments against welfare: Growth must be the sole ideological goal and cannot be compromised by welfarism (Johnson 1982: 305 & 317) Welfarism vs. sound economic growth (White 1998: 12)

    7. Mauritius vs. Taiwan/S.Korea Mauritius: A succesful developmental state but also a democratic welfare state! Why?!? My hypothesis: A stronger working class made Mauritius more democratic and welfare oriented

    8. Mauritius vs. Taiwan/S.Korea - The initial differences

    9. Mauritius vs. Taiwan/S.Korea Ideology embedded in the institutions: Taiwan/S.Korea: Any loosening of control could produce demands for welfare which would delegitimize the conservative ideology of the ruling elite Institutional effect: Repressive, growth oriented Mauritius: Independence only possible through the working class. The elite came to power by promising welfare and democracy Institutional effect: Open, welfare oriented

    10. Mauritius Does Mauritius show that the arguments against a democratic welfare oriented developmental state are wrong? Not neccesarely... Economic problems in the 1970’s Economic reforms neccesary but unpopular The socialist opposition gains popularity State of emergency in 1972

    11. Mauritius The solution: 1973 - The Industrial Relations Act Fragmenting of the unions New labour laws for the EPZ’s From corportistic to pluralistic system Consencual autonomy Inclusive embeddedness (White 1998) legitimacy ? political capacity Served as a substitute for state autonomy

    12. Implications for developmental state theory As a theory: Bring politics back in! (Leftwich 1995) Focus needs to be wider than state institutions (Pempel 1999) (Embedded) autonomy or political capacity? Needs to be reflexive Is growth a non-ideological goal? Is the bureaucracy and state neutral? ”Developmental state theorists too often treat the national bureaucracy as totally depolitized, socially disembodied, and in rational pursuit of a self-evident national interest – in short, the embodiment of Weber’s ’idealized bureaucracy’” (Pempel 1999: 144) Institutions are the mobilization of bias – and often the mobilization of a class bias (Hee-Yeon 1998: 130)

    13. The relevance of developmental state theory Should it be transferred? The dark underside can be dealt with – although the model in Mauritius also has problems More can be gained from trying to theorize on how to avoid the dark underside Kohli’s note of caution: The western experience: ”all forms of industrialization have been... the work of a ruthless minority” (Barrington Moore, quoted in Kohli 2004: 422) Can industrialization under capitalism be just? Can it be transferred? The good news: Very different institutions can produce the same outcome (Rodrick) – repression and pluralism both produced room for the state The bad news: It almost fell apart in Mauritius Initial, unique conditions seem to have great influence

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