Description
Book SynopsisThis timely book examines the effects of financial liberalization in the more advanced economies of Southeast Asia. The book also analyses the degree to which emerging and transitional economies in East and South Asia can benefit from this example. The weakness of the banking sector is examined in order to explain the reasons behind the currency crisis and to prescribe policies to avoid a similar episode in the future.
Further, the book documents the individual steps taken to liberalize the economies over a period of about 20-30 years in each country. The analyses reveal that liberalization led to high growth in economies undertaking such reforms while unwillingness to take such reforms appear to have led to poor growth and hence low social development. This finding contradicts the common belief that liberalization led to the financial crisis and then to growth collapse.
An efficient and liberalized financial sector is an essential precondition for promoting and accelerating economic growth and welfare. Arguments supporting this policy are based on the experience of Southeast Asian economies, particularly the pioneers such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. This has led some less developed countries in East and South Asia to initiate the process of financial sector reforms and to realize the potential benefits of such reforms. The authors analyse the reform process and the lessons to be drawn from the experiences of these economies in their quest for sustained development in East and South Asia.
Trade Review'This is an insightful, important, and good book. . . [the book] is a valuable addition to the debate on policy making and structures in Asia and will, I hope, be an influential one.' -- Gordon de Brouwer, Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies
'. . . this book provides useful information about the Asian financial crisis.' -- Ying, Zhu, Asia Pacific Business Review
Table of ContentsContents: Preface Part I: Liberalization and the Asian Financial Crisis Part II: The Early Reformers Part III: Communists Return to Market Forces Part IV: The Hesitant Reformers Part V: The Lessons from Liberalization Bibliography Index
