'A provocative, but highly accurate analysis of the implementation of World Bank country assistance programmes in various Southeast Asian developing countries. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the evolution of contemporary multilateral development policies.' - Wil Hout, Professor of Governance and International Political Economy, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
'Toby Carroll's study explores the intriguing proposition that the pursuit of liberal markets has required the entrenchment of illiberal politics It is an argument that draws out the 'political technologies' involved in building the market state and the idea that notions of 'participation' and 'inclusion' turn out, under closer scrutiny, to be instruments for co-opting and neutralising potential opponents. This is a book that comes with an impressive grasp of the complexities of the development debate across the ideological spectrum and a command of the broader theoretical ideas about the relationship of state, society and market that are embedded in them.' - Richard Robison, Emeritus Professor, Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, Australia
'Carroll's book will be of interest primarily to scholars interested in the World Bank and other international financial institutions. For this audience, it provides a useful summary of the literature on both the Bank and the post-Washington Consensus, as well as on four detailed case studies of Bank programs in action.' Neil A. Englehart, International Studies Review