'Atul Kohli's eagerly awaited State-Directed Development is a prime example of how comparative historical sociology can illuminate the biggest, most important issues we face in our time. We are at a moment when one of the grandest projects of the twentieth century - the rise of multiple new states in Africa and Asia on the ashes of European colonial empires - seems at risk of falling to multiple plagues, including AIDS, bloodletting civil wars, megalomaniacal tyrants, and mismanaged economies. Kohli tempers our despair by pointing to a range of variation in developing countries. From the histories of those that have succeeded and failed, as well as those in-between, he draws the recipes that have worked (and not worked) for states to give their citizens a reasonable chance to lead a decent life by inducing industrialization. This is a must-read book.' Joel S. Migdal, University of Washington, Seattle

'Kohli's provocative book rehabilitates the state in face of claims that state sovereignty has declined as a result of globalization. Reviewing the comparative capacity of four states in this admirably grounded project he demonstrates that markets, liberty and security require a strong state. Bringing history back in, he argues that the differences in state capacity of Brazil, India, Nigeria and Korea have been shaped by their distinct colonial experiences.' Susanne Hoeber Rudolph, University of Chicago

'This book amounts to a head-on challenge to what John Stuart Mill once called "the deep slumber of a decided opinion", the opinion that the developing country state should focus on alleviating poverty and providing a market-friendly framework for the private sector. Kohli argues that fast economic growth is unlikely without a more forceful kind of state intervention in support of investor profits, and he illuminates the institutional characteristics of the state that are likely to make such intervention effective-or not. Subsequent research on the political economy of growth will have to take this as a touchstone.' Robert Hunter Wade, London School of Economics

'Atul Kohli's book is a magnificent achievement. it should be read by all students of the development process …'. Journal of Latin American Studies