ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the book concepts related to nation building, state building, and economic development discussed in the book. In 1961 Massachusetts Institute of Technology brought together experts on economic development. They rated Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Burma as "transitional societies" on the path to economic development. Intuitively, one might think that dictatorship would be a key inhibitor to economic development, while democracy would be a key facilitator. The book focuses on colonization as one route to nation and state building. These cases include: India, the crown jewel of the British Empire; Algeria, which went beyond a colony to become a constitutionally integral part of France; the Philippines, the US attempt at colonial development; and Manchuria, which Japan transformed into the most industrialized part of Asia outside the home islands. The case studies outline the policy objectives of the state and nation builders; describe the strategies to achieve these objectives.
