In China’s Wake: How the Commodity Boom Transformed Development Strategies in the Global South

Jepson shares case studies of 15 developing countries, most of which have benefited from the twenty-first-century boom in commodities such as fossil fuels, minerals, and soybeans, which has been driven by rising demand in China. This export boom permitted a change in development strategies from those that prevailed in the late twentieth century with the backing of international financial institutions, especially the World Bank. The author traces patterns across countries and explores domestic political dynamics that led to shifts in economic policy.