The developmental state model: a comparative analysis of Japan Approach and the new developmental state in South America

This is a working-in-progress paper on the Developmental State Model: a Comparative Analysis of Japan's Approach and the New Developmental State in Brazil. The case of Brazil was the topic of a book published in 2013 edited by Trubek, Alviar Garcia, Coutinho and Santos titled 'Law and the New Developmental State, the Brazilian Experience in Latin American Context'. The volume contains contributions that argue a 'new' developmental state model is emerging in Brazil. A preliminary literature review suggests that the Brazilian government has incorporated in its development policies some of the features that defined the Japanese developmental state a few decades ago. This paper briefly discusses some of the similarities between the Brazilian and Japanese models and suggests that the Brazilian model may not be new at all, but an adaptation of the Japanese developmental state.