Analysis Developmental states and threat perceptions in North- east Asia Tianbiao Zhu The study of Northeast Asian develop- the developmental state came about if we ment has long been associated with that are to comprehend what part it played in of the developmental state.The current Northeast Asian development and how it literature on the developmental state has evolved since the early 1980s.It tends to focus on state economy and argues that a particular kind of threat state-business relations.In particular,it perception,namely that of an extremely concentrates on how the developmental intensive and long-term threat,played a state engineered economic success in key role in creating the developmental Northeast Asia,whether it played a states of Northeast Asia.Later,changed better role than the free market in threat perceptions provided the environ- promoting industrialisation,and what ment for the decline of such states. difficulties it encountered in the 198os and 1990s.Very few studies,however, Tianbiao Zhu is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Research take the developmental state as a histori- School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University.He received his MPhil from the cal phenomenon and assess its origins University of Cambridge and his PhD from Cornell and possible demise.This paper suggests University.His main interest is the political economy that it is crucial that we understand how of development in China,South Korea and Taiwan.Analysis Developmental states and threat perceptions in North￾east Asia Tianbiao Zhu The study of Northeast Asian develop￾ment has long been associated with that of the developmental state. The current literature on the developmental state tends to focus on state economy and state–business relations. In particular, it concentrates on how the developmental state engineered economic success in Northeast Asia, whether it played a better role than the free market in promoting industrialisation, and what difficulties it encountered in the 1980s and 1990s. Very few studies, however, take the developmental state as a histori￾cal phenomenon and assess its origins and possible demise. This paper suggests that it is crucial that we understand how the developmental state came about if we are to comprehend what part it played in Northeast Asian development and how it has evolved since the early 1980s. It argues that a particular kind of threat perception, namely that of an extremely intensive and long-term threat, played a key role in creating the developmental states of Northeast Asia. Later, changed threat perceptions provided the environ￾ment for the decline of such states. Tianbiao Zhu is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University. He received his MPhil from the University of Cambridge and his PhD from Cornell University. His main interest is the political economy of development in China, South Korea and Taiwan