This introductory essay situates the subsequent special issue within a comparative framework that helps to unpack the new global politics of development. It argues that there is a set of countries beyond Brazil, Russia, India and China – often described as ‘the BRICs’ – that are emerging...

This study tests the hypothesis that defence spending “crowds-out” civil investment. It uses UK data for 1974-96. The results suggest that the crowding-out of investment takes place entirely in the private sector.