Prompts and Logistics

International Political Economy of East Asia

I. The Prompts

Q1. "The Asian model of development still holds relevant and positive lessons for today's developing countries. The basic model is an easily replicable one.

Many other countries possess or can develop the domestic attributes and institutions that the East Asian nations utilized.
Despite some changes in the international environment, nations can still find opportunities that they are able to take advantage of. Today's developing nations can still draw lessons from this model in their efforts to industrialize and develop."

[For the debate, Team D will AGREE, Team A will DISAGREE]

Q2. "To understand the inherent flaws of the East Asian approach to development, one should look at what happened during the Asian Financial Crisis.

Whenever a government becomes too involved in guiding its economy, bad things follow. Market signals become distorted, investment becomes excessive, and regional and global export markets become saturated. Economic decisions become overly politicized and infected by crony capitalism.

The East Asian approach also entails other significant costs, ranging from authoritarianism to the exploitation of labor to environmental degradation. Given these flaws and costs, newly developing countries should be discouraged from even thinking about emulating this developmental model."

[For the debate, Team B will AGREE, Team C will DISAGREE]

II. Final Logistics

The final debate will be held on Thursday, March 23, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, in our regular room. The structure of the debates will be the same as for the midterm, except that each debate will be 60 minutes in length. The formal speakers will be limited to 1 ½ minutes each, after which we will open the discussion to other members of the two teams, and then to the entire class.

Since it is a two-hour final, there will be more time for a class-wide debate, so be prepared. As for the midterm, 5 speakers should present the intro and main arguments, and the remaining members should act as prosecutors/ rebutters. The last member should also serve as a closer.

I expect all team members to be working with and contributing to their team, even those who spoke or debated for the midterm. This will not only help your team get prepared, and to win that valuable extra debate point, but will more importantly help you in writing your own papers.

I will announce the Team meetings as they are determined. Remember that all meetings are open to all, regardless of team. Also, your team should come to your meeting as prepared as possible.

C. The Take-Home Final Papers

As you did for the midterm, you will be writing on BOTH of the two questions in your final exam, except that your essay will be SIX double-spaced pages. Address the other question in a single-page extended outline format.