Developmental state

­­The term developmental state first referred to the phenomenon of state-led macroeconomic planning in Asia, where the state had autonomous political power as well as control over the economy. The process attracted attention as it emerged that the poor appeared to benefit more than other regions reporting similar economic growth.

A later definition, the democratic developmental state, was introduced to include the elements of democracy. The document collection in this section aims to provide an overview of policy issues and the democratic developmental state, to support those who aim to influence the policy development process.

Policy briefs

• Can State and civil society become real partners in fighting poverty in Africa? 
  
  This brief captures a short intervention at the 2005 Public Service Day teleconference organised by the South African Department of Public Service and Administration.
  Kabemba, C, January 2005
• South Africa's public service: Learning from success 
  
  A discussion on how ­the public service might be made more accountable, to meet South Africa's growth and development needs.
  Centre for Development and Enterprise, February 2010

Research reports & papers

• A democratic developmental state in Africa? 
  
  A concept document arguing that the question of the democratic developmental state should be on the agenda in Africa, preceding a broader research project by the Centre for Policy Studies and the Partners in Development for Research Consulting and Training.
  Edigheji, O., May 2005
• A developmental state for South Africa? 
  
  A Cosatu discussion paper which reviews the theoretical discourse around the developmental state and reviews the evolution of central co-ordinating institutions since 1994.
  Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), 2005
• Beyond the national question: Towards the social question 
  
  A Harold Wolpe Memorial Trust annual lecture.
  Mkandawire, T., October 2007
• Botswana’s 'developmental state' and the 'politics of legitimacy' 
  
  Reflects on Botswana's economic policies and how they reflect aspects of the developmental state, granting the ruling party an enduring fo­rm of legitimacy.
  Taylor, I., December 2006
• The developmental state and educational advance in East Asia 
  
  Attempts to illustrate a link between educational development and the formation of developmental states in East Asia. Presents evidence that education systems contributed to nation-building.
  Abe, M., January 2006
• The rise and fall (?) of the developmental state: The vicissitudes and implications of East Asian interventionism 
  
  After World War II East Asia began to industrialise, leading to a seemingly permanent rise in living standards across the region. Reviews implications of economic policies of the developmental state.
  Beeson, M., January 2008

Country studies

• The state and development in southern Africa: a comparative analysis of Botswana and Mauritius with Angola, Malawi and Zambia 
  
  Considers what kind of state intervention is conducive to development.
  Hwedi, O., January 2001

Conference & seminar papers

• Building a developmental state: Strategies for attracting and retaining high quality staff in the public service in Africa 
  
  Presentation from the 30th Africa Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) Annual Roundtable Conference, Accra, Ghana, 6-10 October 2008.
  Kauzya, J.M., October 2008
• Reinventing the African state: issues and challenges for building a developmental state 
  
  Paper from the 11th General assembly of the Council For the Development of Social Science in Africa (CODESRIA), Maputo, Mozambique; December 6 – 10, 2005.
  Olayode, K., December 2005
• Responses to the global crisis: charting a progressive path: handbook of ideas 
  
  ­Interactive conference handbook ­aimed at gathering policy proposals on the global crisis.
  Progressive governance conference, March 2009
• Resurrecting the vestiges of a developmental state in Malawi? reflections and lessons from the 2005/2006 fertilizer subsidy programme 
  
  A paper from the 2007 Guy Mhone memorial conference on development: Public Sector Reforms in Africa: Retrospect and Prospect, 22–24 August 2007, Zomba, Malawi.
  Chinsinga, B., August 2007
• Thinking about developmental states in Africa 
  
  Paper presented at the UNU-AERC workshop on Institutions and Development in Africa, UNU Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, October 14-15, 1998.
  Mkandawire, T., October 1998