The Politics of Uneven Development
Thailand's Economic Growth in Comparative Perspective

Richard Doner compares Thai economic development with competing nations, revealing how specific political factors shape institutional capacity in each.

Richard F. Doner (Author)

9780521736114, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 9 February 2009

368 pages, 13 b/w illus. 25 tables
23.1 x 15.2 x 2 cm, 0.51 kg

'This book is spot on with explaining the political economy of economic development in Thailand. Unlike neo-classical attempts to provide a series of simple but painful steps that countries should pursue but with a framework that is neither built around an active state … nor is equipped with epistemologically sound propositions à la Washington Consensus, Doner's explication meets the requirements of theorising as his framework is testable and is substantiated with concrete evidence. … this is an outstanding book … makes a convincing contribution to explaining how developing states can pursue upgrading policies even under circumstances of external vulnerabilities. … The three empirical cases provide excellent evidence to support the illuminating framework advanced by the book. It should be a must read for government leaders, scholars and students.' Journal of Contemporary Asia

Why do some middle-income countries diversify their economies but fail to upgrade – to produce world-class products based on local inputs and technological capacities? Why have the 'little tigers' of Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, continued to lag behind the Newly Industrializing Countries of East Asia? Richard Doner goes beyond 'political will' by emphasizing institutional capacities and political pressures: development challenges vary; upgrading poses tough challenges that require robust institutional capacities. Such strengths are political in origin. They reflect pressures, such as security threats and resource constraints, which motivate political leaders to focus on efficiency more than clientelist payoffs. Such pressures help to explain the political institutions – 'veto players' – through which leaders operate. Doner assesses this argument by analyzing Thai development historically, in three sectors (sugar, textiles, and autos) and in comparison with both weaker and stronger competitors (Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Brazil, and South Korea).

1. The challenge of uneven development
2. Puzzles of Thai development in comparative perspective
3. Development tasks, institutions, and politics
4. Origins and consequences of Thailand's intermediate states
5. Sugar
6. Textiles
7. Automobiles
8. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Politics & government [JP]