The most outstanding feature of this book lies in its illustration of the usefulness of a shift away from the national model approach in doing comparative economics. Instead of considering the national government, national labor unions, and business associations as the key actors of economic change, our understanding is enhanced by viewing micro-level actors, notably managers of firms, local union leaders, and local interest groups.

With this book, an important new voice enters the comparative political economy debate. A 'must-read' for specialists on Italy, this book is also a 'should-read' for economic policymakers in America, as well as students of political economy everywhere.

Remaking the Italian Economy fills a void in the literature on comparative political economy. Relatively few American scholars in recent years have sought to deal with Italian economic successes and failures and business-government relations in systematic fashion. They have tended instead to examine the structural factors behind industry success in given regions, while ignoring institutional and political contexts. Locke demonstrates that industry success or failure also depends on the particular patterns of sociopolitical relationships within regions.

A brilliant and empirically grounded analysis of the recent success and failure of the Italian economy, as well as an important contribution to current debates in political economy.