Rethinking Growth Model Analysis: A Life Cycle and State-Centric Relational Approach

This article offers a critique of both the overall focus and key substantive arguments associated with growth model analysis and, in particular, of Baccaro and Pontusson's account of how and why governments adopt policies favourable to the promotion of particular growth models. Our critique centres upon two arguments. First, existing work downplays the role of the state in the politics and governance of growth models and, conversely, overstates the significance of producer coalitions and business actors. Second, we introduce a life cycle account of growth models and argue that current growth model analysis focuses almost exclusively upon the functioning of existing and established growth models, neglecting two other stages in their life cycle relating to their initial establishment and eventual decline or termination. We argue that the relations between producer groups and states vary across these different stages of growth model dynamics. Our ‘state-centric relational’ account emphasises how state actors, while they may sometimes find it in their interests to work with business interests, should not, by default, be viewed as being subservient to them.