East Asian capitalism: Towards a normative framework 1

This essay attempts to identify the features of East Asian capitalism that seem, prima facie, to serve desirable social and political purposes while also being compatible with, if not beneficial for, the requirements of economic productivity in an age of intense international competition. It argues that East Asian countries should build on areas of competitive advantage instead of heeding calls to shed all the old ways of doing things in favor of American‐style shareholder capitalism.