Law and Development in Middle-Income Countries: Conclusion

Abstract

This concluding chapter summarizes the key findings, locates these findings within the existing literatures on law and development and related fields, develops policy recommendations for MIC governments and development agencies, and highlights areas for further research. The discussion is organized around the eight issue areas: (1) is “middle-income country” an analytically useful category? (2) is there a middle-income trap, are there various traps, or is it a myth? (3) what if anything do successful MICs share? (4) why have East Asian states been so successful, and does the recent success of Central and Eastern European states provide an alternative model? (5) what is the relationship between politics, or political-economy, and development in MICs? (6) how have MICs been influenced by and adapted to the new international economic order? (7) what approaches are available to MICs to address pressing socio-economic issues? and finally, (8) what lessons are there for policymakers and development agencies in promoting rule of law and good governance in MICs? I conclude with some recommendations for future research.