New Developmentalism: What Do We Know and Where Are We Going?

Abstract

Studies focusing on the theory of New Developmentalism have been growing in recent years. This has happened since the great crisis of Neoliberalism in 2008, which pointed to the exhaustion of the financial-rentier Neoliberal model as a solution to issues related to the development of countries. Based on this diagnosis, we proposed a bibliometric analysis that shows the past, the present, and the future possibilities (trends) within the field of New Developmentalism. For the execution of this Bibliometrics, we searched for the articles published and indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases using the search term "New Developmentalism". The result pointed to 749 published articles. The search used the term in all the search fields available in the databases, excluding no possibilities. These data were treated in “Biblioshiny” within the RStudio software and the results were analyzed to generate a mapping of the field of study. The results of this study show that this is still a new field of study and that it needs a lot of research to reach maturity. An even more evident gap is the scarcity of studies that address the macroeconomic prices important for the growth of national economies, as pointed out by the New Developmentalism Theory of Brasser-Pereira. In this gap, we identify arguments contrary to the theory that need to be addressed and empirically researched to be accepted or refuted. By working this gap, we would bring light to points not yet explored and enrich the discussions. The problem of the role of the State as a promoter of the conditions for the economic development of countries, in contrast to the Neoliberalism that advocates a minimal State, is also an aspect little explored by empirical articles, requiring further study. Another important point that needs to be addressed is the incorporation of the ecological and social agenda, especially that of income distribution in the studies of the application of the New Developmentalism Theory. In this gap, the inclusion of the third sector in the New Developmentalism Theory as an agent distinct from the State and the Market could be a solution and an innovation. The third sector's principle is to promote and bring about structural changes in society that are very important for the economic and social development of countries. This inclusion helps in the expansion of income distribution and social development processes that the State, based on rules (Bureaucracy), and the Market, based on profit (competition), are unable to accomplish. We also identify the need for a more particularized delineation of the identification of New Developmentalism Theory, generating a label that does not confuse with other theories. Thus, we seek to contribute to the field of study by showing the advances made so far and pointing out directions that can be followed by other researchers who wish to expand the study of New Developmentalism Theory.