08/11/2023

Developmentalist Illusion? EU Cohesion Policy, Dependent Development, and the State in East Central Europe

Our researcher Daniel Šitera contributed to the edited book "The Middle-Income Trap in Central and Eastern Europe" with his chapter on developmentalist illusion.

In the chapter, Daniel Šitera delves into the concept of the developmentalist illusion, a phenomenon that has shaped the historical trajectories of semiperipheral states within the global capitalist framework. The narrative explores how these states, strategically positioning themselves between the powerful global cores and the marginalized peripheries, willingly integrate into the open global economy with the anticipation of catching up with the developmental strides of core states. However, a sobering reality unfolds as these nations, including those in East Central Europe (ECE), East Asia, Southern Europe, and South America, find themselves ensnared in a persistent middle-income position.