FROM NATURAL ECONOMY TO CAPITALISM: The State and Economic Transformation in Perak, Malaysia c1800 -2000 by Azrai Abdullah

The history of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial Malay(si)a has witnessed the state’s increasing involvement in economic affairs. Through the production and export of many sought-after commodities, mainly tin and rubber, Perak was increasingly incorporated into the world economy. The pre-capitalist system of production was slowly undermined and replaced by the capitalist system of production. Therefore, this book traces Perak’s economic development path from the pre-colonial era through the colonial period till 2000. The changing mode of production, where capital accumulation increasingly took centre stage, also has other structural implications for society.