The Politics of Open Economies
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand

This book examines the political and economic explanations for the success of the ASEAN countries in integrating their economies into the global economy.

Alasdair Bowie (Author), Daniel Unger (Author)

9780521586832, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 30 October 1997

260 pages, 13 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.38 kg

"This is an excellent work on the political-economy of Pacific Rim trade and capital flows in Southeast Asia." B. F. Hope, Choice

This book asks why some countries have responded to the external constraints and opportunities arising from their global and regional economic context by opening up their economies. In particular, the authors examine the role domestic political and economic factors play in shaping the decision to become more open, or more inward-looking. The countries of Southeast Asia have generally enjoyed economic success in the postwar period. The authors argue that one of the explanations for this success has been their integration into the global division of labor, and analyze decision-makers' reasons for following this course. They place particular emphasis on external events, notably the two oil shocks of the 1970s, and the more recent outflow of investment capital and manufacturing capacity from Japan and East Asia.

1. Introduction
2. The regional context of Southeast Asian economic growth: the international context
3. Indonesia
4. Malaysia
5. The Philippines
6. Thailand
7. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP]