Accumulation, Adjustment and the Autonomy of the State in Latin America

The Political Economy of Industrialization: A Comparison of Latin American and East Asian Newly Industrializing Countries

“…The concept of the relative autonomy of the state has been much debated (for a recent review see Anglade and Fortin, 1990). In this context it is used to refer to the ability of the state to pursue policies which are in the interest of capital as a whole, even when they conflict with the interests of particular fractions of the dominant class.…”

“…Effective intervention also requires an internal structuring of the state apparatus in terms of an efficient and cohesive bureaucratic machinery and effective policy instruments which gives the state the capacity to implement its economic strategy. Autonomy from both dominant and sub-ordinate classes is also a factor determining the capacity of the state to implement policy (Rueschemeyer and Evans, 1985; Anglade and Fortin, 1990).…”

“…The state structures in these countries have also insulated economic policy-making from direct political pressure by vested interests (Haggard, 1988: 261). In contrast, the state in the Latin American NlCs appears to enjoy much less autonomy and the bureaucracy is much mqre politicized than in East Asia (Anglade and Fortin, 1990; Cammack, 1990).…”

La cuantificación del desarrollo histórico de la valorización del capital en América del Sur. Estudios de largo plazo sobre la tasa de ganancia y la renta de la tierra: Metodología y Resultados

“…En efecto, algunos autores han sostenido que la aplicación temprana de amplias reformas agrarias junto con las subsiguientes políticas estatales agrarias que canalizaron la transferencia intersectorial de recursos han sido un determinante central del desarrollo económico del Este Asiático (principalmente, Taiwán y Corea del Sur) respecto al de América Latina (Anglade y Fortin, 1990;Kay, 2002;Kohli, 2004). Así, el argumento es que, mientras que los Estados de Corea del Sur y Taiwán pudieron financiar el proceso de industrialización a través del «estrangulamiento del campesinado» tras la abolición del latifundismo, el fracaso o la demora de las reformas agrarias en América Latina dio lugar a la reproducción de una clase terrateniente políticamente poderosa que obstaculizó el intento del Estado de «extraer un excedente tan elevado de la agricultura como en Corea del Sur y Taiwán» (Kay, 2002(Kay, : 1093.…”

Twists and turns of land reform in Latin America: From predatory to intermediate states?

“…Furthermore, the state in South Korea and Taiwan had a substantially stronger hold over the agricultural sector than did the Latin American state. This difference is explained by the superior degree of autonomy from society of the South Korean and Taiwanese state (Anglade & Fortin, 1990). The greater competence of the state bureaucracies in South Korea and Taiwan contrasted to that of many Latin American states, which were hampered by patronage, clientelism and inertia (Evans, 1998).…”