Author Description

Pacific Asia contains most of the world's fastest growing economies. While Japan remains the unchallenged giant of the region, the economies of East and South East Asia have become increasingly important to the area's growth. In Economic and Social Development in Pacific Asia, a group of world authorities set the region in its global context and examine the economic emergence of Pacific Asia. They illustrate that beneath the superficial similarities, the countries have developed in vastly different ways, proving that there exists no single "model of Asian development." The authors challenge the perceived wisdom that this dynamic growth has been the result of laissez-faire, market-led economies. They argue that a great deal of government intervention has occurred and that the growth has actually resulted from a policy of guiding the market. Economic and Social Development in Pacific Asia challenges conventional, one-sided studies which ignore the uneven nature of development in the region and the wider social implications of rapid growth. The authors discuss the rise of the ASEAN countries and state-controlled economies of China, Vietnam and North Korea. Finally, the editors look to the future and assess the likelihood of a new "Pacific Century" during the next hundred years.