Uloga države u gospodarstvu te odnos između tržišnih sila i državne intervencije i regulacije jedno je od temeljnih pitanja političke ekonomije. Od 1980-ih godina ekonomskom teorijom počinje dominirati neoklasična ideologija, a neoliberalizam postaje prevladavajuća doktrina većine razvijenih zemalja. S druge strane, raspad SSSR-a te iskustva zemalja južne Amerike i Afrike, ali i (jugo)istočne Europe idu u prilog stavu zagovornika neoliberalne doktrine kako etatizam najčešće rezultira ekonomskom, političkom i socijalnom nestabilnošću. Može se zaključiti kako u to vrijeme i prevladavajuća teorija, ali i realna iskustva, stvaraju uvjete za prihvaćanje stava da je za uspješan ekonomski rast i razvoj zemlje potrebno maskimalno ograničiti ulogu države i svesti njezine ekonomske funkcije na minimum. Međutim, postoje primjeri zemalja koje su svoje razvojne strategije utemeljile na skladnom odnosu i suradnji snažne države i slobodnog tržišta. U stručnoj se literaturi zemlje s ovakvim pristupom organizaciji gospodarskog sustava nazivaju razvojne države (eng. developmental states). Cilj je ovog rada pružiti sažeti prikaz razvoja ideje i koncepta razvojne države, objasniti njezine temeljne karakteristike te na temelju toga pokušati definirati odnos i ulogu države i tržišta u razvojnoj državiThe role of state in the economy and the relationship between market forces and state intervention with regulation is one of the fundamental issues of political economy. Since the 1980s, neoclassical ideology has dominated the economic theory, while neo-liberalism has become the prevailing doctrine of most developed countries. On the other hand, the collapse of the Soviet Union and experience of the countries of South America and Africa, as well as of (South) Eastern Europe, backs up the attitude of the advocates of neo-liberal doctrine that statism usually results in economic, political and social instability. It can be concluded that at that time the prevailing theory and real experience justify the acceptance of attitude that a successful economic growth and development of a country require the role of state to be limited to a maximum and its economic functions to be reduced to a minimum. However, there are countries that have based their development strategies on a good relationship and cooperation between a strong state and free market. In literature, developmental states is the name for these countries with such approach to the organization of economic system. The aim of this paper is to give a summary of development of idea and concept of developmental state, as well as to explain its characteristics and on that ground try to define the relationship and role of the state and market in such a state
