ABSTRACT
As Chapters 1 and 2 described, the major theoretical purposes of this book were twofold. The first was to fill the gap in current literature about the development of risk-based governance by examining concrete mechanisms that drive, and, more important, block its diffusion in a particular setting—coal mining safety regulation. Since risk-based governance is a key element of regulatory capitalism, this study also helps one better understand what drives and constrains the growth of regulatory capitalism. The second purpose was to apply the Braithwaite and Drahos framework, particularly the theory of modeling. This chapter will first summarize the findings regarding both the drivers of and barriers to the diffusion of risk-based governance, and discuss the contributions of this research to the Braithwaite and Drahos framework. Practical implications will then be addressed. The chapter ends by discussing implications for democratic governance in an era of regulatory capitalism.
