Choice Review

There are two major themes in Mittelman's book. First, underdevelopment is not an isolated incident; rather, it is caused by the world political economy. Second, a total integration into or withdrawal from the world capitalist economy is not the key to development. In the Third World the key to development is exploitation of the benefits of the international market system while avoiding problems posed by a complete reliance on international markets. Unfortunately, very little is said about how this can be achieved. One of the strengths of the book is the author's recognition that countries are different and what works in one country may not work in another. The book is divided into four parts: Part 1 introduces the subject; Part 2 reviews various ideas about development and the role played by international institutions; Part 3 reviews the development strategies of three countries--Brazil, China, and Mozambique. The last part provides the strategy of development in the Third World. Judging from the title of the book, the fourth section should have been the focus of the book, yet only 30 pages (part of which concludes the book) are devoted to a discussion of strategy and development. The book would have been much better had more attention been paid to the last section. Recommended to all interested in Third World development. K. Gyimah-Brempong Wright State University