State-permeated Capitalism in Large Emerging Economies

Reviews / Votes

"This important book broadens the scope of comparative capitalism in two dimensions. It goes beyond the limits of the traditional 'firm-based' varieties of capitalism approach to analyse a novel model of capitalism characterized by close state-business relationships. This book also pushes the usual geographical boundaries of the genre, and focuses on usually neglected though increasingly important emerging economies (Brazil, India, China, South Africa). A must read for any scholar of comparative capitalism." - Bruno Amable, Professor of Economics at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

"This is a challenging book. While mainstream economists continue to put all their coins in the market, four political economists show that fast growing emerging economies adopt a state-permeated capitalism. I oppose the successful developmental capitalism of China and India to the unsuccessful economic liberalism of Brazil and South Africa - the four countries studied in this book. State-permeated and developmental capitalism are the same thing - an economic system where the market coordinates the competitive sectors, while the state, the non-competitive industries and the macroeconomy. Or, in the words of the authors, a system where there is an "informal cooperation between individual national capitalists and representatives of state agencies". - Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira, Emeritus Professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation and former Minister of Finance of Brazil.

"The research team has developed an eclectic and viable framework for a study of emerging market economies based on, but going beyond, the Comparative Capitalism perspective, by adding in important historical and comparative dimensions. Their method also transcends the firm-level focus of the regional varieties of capitalism approach (VOC) and its more macro-foundations framework will be warmly welcomed by scholars in political economy, development studies, sociology and international relations. It is a timely and useful intervention in the context of the rapidly changing balance of economic power in the contemporary world economy through focusing on the key characteristics of the capitalisms of the larger and varied market economies of the Global South." - Vishnu Padayachee, Distinguished Professor and Derek Schrier and Cecily Cameron Chair in Development Economics, School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

"This ambitious work takes the BRICS beyond an investment option to a systematic political and economic examination. The analysis ranges widely across careful country studies while adding in the international political economy usually lacking in the "varieties of capitalism" framework. Deftly organized and deeply researched, this book greatly advances theoretical debates on comparative capitalism in developing countries." - Ben Ross Schneider, Ford International Professor of Political Science and director of the MIT Brazil program.

"Every so often you come across a book which imparts the smack of something original and important enough to rank as a "must read" for a long time. This is such a book. It stands on the shoulders of three main fields of knowledge about "the wealth of nations" - varieties of capitalism, comparative politics, and international political economy; and paves the way for lots of follow ups. Believers in neoliberal philosophy may not approve of much of it, but they should read it first and then pick a fight." - Robert H. Wade, Professor of Global Political Economy, London School of Economics, UK.