Module SGIA3371: THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE: POLITICS AND MARKETS IN EAST ASIA

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA3371: THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE: POLITICS AND MARKETS IN EAST ASIA

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The aim of this module is to introduce students to the political economy of the capitalist regimes in East Asia. Contrary to predictions of neo-classical theories, economic development in East Asia was driven by active state intervention rather than free market competition. The module will study Japan as the archetypal ‘developmental state’, before then exploring how this model was adopted by other non-communist countries in the region to drive industrialisation and modernisation. However, rather than stopping there, the module will employ the ‘developmental state’ model as a wider framework to analyse East Asian politics, asking how state-led development has shaped other social and political institutions, such as party systems, welfare regimes and gender relations.

Content

• The first section of the module will familiarise students with the model of the ‘developmental state’ – primarily by analysing economic policy-making in post-war Japan – and discuss the particular historical circumstances that facilitated an effective programme of state-led development.
• The model will then be used to explain patterns of economic development in other Asian countries – most notably South Korea and Taiwan, but also various non-communist regimes in Southeast Asia.
• Finally, the analytical focus will be widened, exploring the implications of these state-led development programmes for politics and society in the newly industrialised countries in Asia. Although the key period for the ‘developmental state’ is usually thought to be between the late 1950s and early 1980s, the period left a whole system of social, political and economic issues, which remains deeply embedded in the formal and informal institutions in the various polities.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain knowledge of:
• The concept of the ‘developmental state’, its central characteristics, and how these constitute a challenge to neoclassical accounts of economics.
• The specific historical conditions that encouraged the adoption of interventionist economic policies and ensured their effectiveness, and how the ‘developmental state’ model transformed itself over time due to both changes in the environment and internal dynamics.
• How the ‘development state’ catapulted Japan to the forefront of world economies and how this model was then copied by other countries in East Asia, with varying degrees of success.
• Using the ‘developmental state’ model as a framework to analyse current political and social issues in East Asia.

• On successful completion of the module students will:
• Be able to understand strategies of state-led capitalist development and distinguish them from market-led approaches.
• Be able to contribute to debates over the conditions under which programmes of state-led development can lead to economic success.
• Be aware of the implications programmes of state-led development can have for society and politics.
• Be familiar with the major primary and secondary sources relevant to study the ‘developmental state’, and be able to analyse these sources critically and use them as a basis for their own independent research.

• Through the module, students develop key skills including:
• Identification, selection and assessment of material and evidence in support of analysis through engagement in independent research.
• Ability to critically evaluate the suitability and quality of resources.
• Effective planning and delivery of assessed work within time and length constraints.
• Effective written presentation of a critical analysis of key issues under time pressure in response to specific questions.
• Taking responsibility for their learning and work, balancing competing demands to complete a range of tasks.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module is delivered through both lectures and tutorials. Lectures will deliver a common background of knowledge, familiarising students with theoretical concepts and historical processes that they may not have encountered before. Lectures will also introduce students to a number of case studies to demonstrate the relevance of these theoretical concepts for the study of East Asian politics.
• Lectures are supplemented by tutorials which enable student-led presentations to act as a basis for further critical engagement with the lecture material and wider sources identified by students. Although tutorial discussions will be directed by staff to ensure that they cover key curriculum issues, enough freedom will be given to students to assess and analyse patterns of economic development in East Asia through their own ideas and interpretations of primary and secondary sources.
• In addition, two documentaries will be shown to students to contextualise theoretical debates and to discuss in what ways issues raised in lectures and tutorials affect everyday life in East Asia.
• Formative assessment through a presentation to the tutorial group gives students an opportunity to receive feedback and guidance on their knowledge and understanding of a specific aspect of the module as well as their ability to effectively analyse the topic. In addition, students are required to submit a 1,500-word essay outlining the argument and structure of their summative essay. This formative essay will be discussed in a one-on-one session with the module convenor.
• Summative assessment through a 5,000-word-essay tests students’ ability to develop in a suitably structured and rigorous fashion a response to a set question. Achieving this also assesses their ability to independently identify, evaluate and organise resources in support of a consistent academic argument, by a deadline and to a word-limit, requiring students to take responsibility for their learning.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One seminar presentation and a 1,500 word essay outlining the summative essay.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University