How Asia Works
When we look at the gleaming skylines of Tokyo or Seoul, we often assume their economic ascent followed a familiar path of open markets and minimal state interference. We often praise the 'East Asian miracle' as a triumph of free markets, but rarely do we examine the uncomfortable, often audacious, decisions that truly built these economies. Joe Studwell argues that the real story is one of radical land reform, a ruthless 'export or perish' industrial policy, and tightly controlled capital flows. This isn't a story of spontaneous growth, but of deliberate, pragmatic choices that defied conventional wisdom to forge national prosperity.
19 minOpen edition