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"The Possibility of Developmental States in Africa" published on by Oxford University Press.

Abstract This paper proposes a new approach to the classification of Developmental States (DS) based on their public efforts to foster human development. We conceptualize DS within a multidimensional framework that includes three main dimensions (economic, social and democratic), and run a hierarchical cluster analysis for 112 countries in order to build a multidimensional taxonomy of ds. We propose a country-classification and characterize three country-groups with different developmental public efforts: i) the human development States; ii) the unbalanced developmental States and iii) the non-developmental States. Our multidimensional taxonomy offers a more complex understanding of the variety of public efforts devoted to promote human development, thus overcoming the restricted -economical- conception of DS, which is mainly focused to the East Asian region.

The developmental state has become a popular definition used to discuss the "China Model". Based on the developmental state, various definitions have originated. Concepts such as new developmental states and neo-developmentalism are widely applied to describe Chinese development. This paper summarizes representative opinions in examining China from the perspective of the developmental state, and reevaluates the specificity and characteristics of the Chinese developmental state in terms of structural dynamism. We believe that the developmental state as a concept is not precisely defined. Instead, its application and extension must incorporate considerations of historical specificity and subject continuity. Considering such initial constraints as politics, economics, and military conditions, China differs significantly from other classic examples of East Asian developmental states. Consequently, China would also face different developmental paths, directions, corresponding policies, and measures from those of other developmental states. The East Asian experiences of developmental states only offer limited scope for reference. Still, in terms of effective integration between markets, governments, and societies, their experiences and lessons prove worthy for consideration and reflection.