Investigating the potential role of the state in Africa in promoting development in the era of globalisation, this book is a valuable addition to the ongoing debates about the role, nature and character of states in Africa. The volume argues that dogmatic faith in either state planning or markets is not sufficient; rather it is the quality of state involvement that is at stake. Taking Botswana and Uganda as case studies and contextualising them within their respective histories and political economies, the papers compare and contrast the features that distinguish their development records and style of activity in promoting development. The book argues some elements of the developmental state model exist in both countries and that these have contributed to the relative successes of the two countries.