This book investigates the limitations of the post-Washington consensus and proposes a new framework for development policy in the twenty-first century. The authors, Ben Fine, Costas Lapavitsas, and Jonathan Pincus, utilize their extensive backgrounds in heterodox economics and political economy to critique neoliberal development strategies. They argue that current policy approaches fail to address structural inequalities and propose a more holistic, state-led approach to economic development that prioritizes social welfare over market-driven liberalization.

Experts in political economy recognize this work as a significant contribution to the critique of mainstream development theory. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is best suited for students and professionals in the field of development economics.