Synopsis This book puts the rise of developed economies in Europe, North America and Japan in a historical and comparative perspective. It argues that in each case of sustained advance along the path of economic and human development, the state played a significant role in protecting the space for improved standards of living of its citizens. It argues further that the idea of the developmental state needs to be broadened to the concept of a development democracy. The construction of such democracy, rather than markets as such, can be a major instrument for advancing the economic and human development of poor countries such as India, Brazil or Pakistan, for that matter.