Ethnicity and the Economy
The State, Chinese Business, and Multinationals in Malaysia
Description:... This book offers an in-depth analysis of transformations in the Malaysian economy and argues for the central role of ethnic structures in shaping development outcomes. The activities of key economic actors, such as the state, local Chinese business, and multinationals, are analysed in the context of the countries' ethnic-political structure. The authors show how shifts in the political coalitions among the elite affect the alliances between these economic groups and their respective bargaining powers. These changes, in turn, have important implications for development, and explain the twists and turns of the Malaysian economy. By highlighting the role of ethnic politics in shaping such macroeconomic characteristics as state economic intervention, the fiscal position of the state, and the role of multinationals, this book demonstrates that ethnic studies should go beyond looking at the economic role of middlemen minorities to consider the broader political economy, and, as such, provides a useful framework for studying other ethnically divided societies.
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