The various authors' contributions into the literature on the possibilities and pitfalls of achieving a democratic developmental state in South Africa are very eye-opening.
For an economist, this book makes a compelling case for a social policy never being subservient to economic policy. In fact, research evidence from the East-Asian classical developmental state presented here suggests that there is a delicate balance between such policies.
The book also is a reminder to the modern policy maker that economic policies used in economies with a more equal distribution of income tend to generate intended and effective results. Alternatively, economies that seek more equality with respect to income distribution subsequently become more effective in economic policy-making when they have made progress toward better income distribution.
