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.
Author(s): Tian He
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 268
City: Singapore
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Unravelling an East Asian Puzzle
An Overlooked East Asian Puzzle
Revisiting the Developmental State Model and Its Transformation
What Is the Developmental State Model?
Existing Studies on Social Forces and the Transformation of the Developmental State
Single-Case Studies of the Transformation of the Developmental State in South Korea and Taiwan
Studies Focused on the Variations in the East Asian State’s Transformation
The Theory: Economic Interests, Democratic Transition and Policy Constraints
The Rise of the Developmental State and the Formation of the Industrial Structure of a Country
The Transformation of the Political Foundation of the State: Elite Decisions and Democratic Transition
Economic Development and Democratic Mobilisation
Elite Adaptation, Regime Transition Outcomes and Institutional Constraints
The Emergence of Policy Constraints Imposed by Economic Interests
International Trade, Economic Interest Groups and Structural Constraints
Different Types of Economic Interest Groups, Different Levels of Structural Constraints
The Structure of the Theory
Research Design and Case Selection
Empiric #1: The Emergence of Economic-Interests Constraints and the Process of Democratic Transition
Empiric #2: Explaining the Transformation of the Developmental State
Organisation of the Book
References
2 The Rapid Transformation of the Developmental State in South Korea
How Elite Survival Shaped South Korea’s Industrial Structure
The Rise to Power of a Military Regime
Promoting Domestic Private Capital Concentration in the Economy
Elite Decisions, South Korea’s Authoritarian Reinforcement and Speedy Democratic Transition
Reproducing a Military Dictatorship in 1980
A Speedy Transition to Democracy in 1987
The Formulation of the State’s Strategic Visions in South Korea
South Korea Under Abortive Reform: From a Growth-First Vision to Policy Inconsistency
More Coherent Economic Visions After 1997: From Structural Reform to Shared Growth
Policy Constraints from Business Elites in South Korea
The Rise of Concentrated Business Interests
Democratic Transition and the End of State-Led State-Business Cooperation
Chaebol Interests and the State in the Post-crisis Period
Policy Constraints from Organised Labour in South Korea
The Rise of Concentrated Labour Interests
The Unstainable Tripartite Arrangements
Summary of the Chapter
References
3 The Non-Transformation of the Developmental State in Singapore
How Elite Survival Shaped Singapore’s Industrial Structure
The PAP’s Struggle with the Leftist Movement
Substituting the Domestic Private Capital
Elite Decisions and Non-Democratic Transition in Singapore
The Continuation of the PAP’s Authoritarian Control
The PAP’s Strategy of Authoritarian Co-Optation
The Enhanced Authoritarian Co-Optation of the PAP After 2011
The Formulation of the State’s Economic Visions in Singapore
The Global City-State and the PAP’s Pro-Immigration Policy
An Urgent Policy Change: Reducing Foreign Labour Dependency
Policy Constraints from Business Elites in Singapore
The Emergence of Non-Constraining Business Interest Groups
The Continuation of State-Led State-Business Cooperation
Policy Constraints from Organised Labour in Singapore
PAP’s Control of Organised Labour
Strengthening the Control Mechanism
The PAP’s Management of Labour Interests
Summary of the Chapter
References
4 The Two-Phase Transformation of the Developmental State in Taiwan
How Elite Survival Shaped Taiwan’s Industrial Structure
The Survival of an Émigré Regime
Limiting Private Capital Concentration in the Market
Elite Decisions and Taiwan’s Two-Stage Democratic Transition
The First Stage of Democratic Transition in Taiwan: KMT’s Liberalisation Without Democratisation
Taiwan’s Second Stage of Democratic Transition: The Introduction of Democratic Elections
A Consequence of Taiwan’s Democratic Transition: The Emergence of Identity Politics
The Formulation of the State’s Strategic Visions in Taiwan
A Short-Lived Strategic Plan
Two Competing Economic Visions
Policy Constraints from Business Elites in Taiwan
The Continuation of the State’s Dominance Vis-à-Vis Business Elites
The Rise of Financial Conglomerates and the End of the SME Strategy
Policy Constraints from Organised Labour in Taiwan
The Rise of Dispersed Labour Interests
The Rise of State-Sector Labour Interests
The Weakness of Organised Labour
Summary of the Chapter
References
5 Understanding the Transformation of the Developmental State
Revisiting the Theory of the Transformation of the Developmental State
The Rise of the Developmental State and the Industrial Structure of the Case Study Countries
Variety of Economic Interest Groups in East Asia
The (Non-) Democratic Transition Process of a Country: Democratic Mobilisation and Elite Responses
The (Non-)Transformation of the Developmental State
Explaining the Non-Transformation of the Developmental State in China
The Rise of the Chinese Developmental State
Elite Decision, Industrial Structure and Democratic Transition
State Economic Visions, Business and Labour Constraints
Re-Examining the Transformation of the Developmental State
Capital Ownership, Economic Interests and Policy Constraints
The Role of the Middle Class in Transforming the Developmental State
Concluding Remarks: Understanding the Transformation of the Developmental State
References
Index