Good Government in the Tropics (The Johns Hopkins Studies in Development)
Those who have been waiting for Judith Tendler's book... have been well rewarded. Bringing together the case studies of good government in the state of Ceara in North East Brazil enables Tendler to draw a series of wider, over-arching conclusions... [Overall] this is a splendid book, which reaches us just as the debates about the 'proper' role of the state in development are picking up again.(Emanuel de KadtJournal of Development Studies)The examples are well-presented, and together they weave a logical and forceful argument.(David DunhamDevelopment and Change)Remarkably refreshing and timely.(Abdoulaye S. M. SainJournal of Developing Areas)The traditional focus on trying to eliminate 'rent-seeking' by reducing the state's role has made a contribution but lost much of its charisma. Theoreticians and practitioners alike are looking for new ideas and Tendler offers a quite intriguing set of them. The cases demonstrate surprising counter-intuitive results that will be of interest even to those with little substantive interest in the particular setting described. Theoretical novelty and elegant use of evidence combine to make this book a clear winner,(Peter Evans, University of California at Berkeley)