ABSTRACT
To many, the concept of a "miracle" economy seems to contain the idea of an exceptional ease in achieving even the most ambitious goals. Instead, although they got very far, it was hardly with ease that the five countries advanced. They had to continue accomplishing two vital tasks, neither of them particularly simple, namely to work smart and to work hard. They had to find—and apply—the right policies or they would never have gotten anywhere. But, even with those policies, their progress was repeatedly hampered by pitfalls and obstacles, shortcomings and mistakes, domestic headaches and foreign imbroglios. Only thus could they grow into their present status.
