Zafar Iqbal and Mervyn K. Lewis examine, from an Islamic perspective, some central issues in public, economic and corporate governance. Amongst topics analysed are theories of justice, taxation, budget deficits, Islamic financing modes, public and private accountability, and corruption.

The authors' starting point is that the Islamic perspective on governance and its differences from Western approaches requires an understanding of the basic tenets, philosophy and legal traditions of Islam. They develop the Islamic position on matters widely acknowledged as being under-researched in Islamic social enquiry, bringing a fresh and contemporary slant to governance issues by drawing insights from modern theory and practice, and combining them with classical and modern Muslim interpretations. Their analysis explicitly acknowledges self-interested behaviour, adding a public choice dimension to the limitations and workability of any governance arrangements.

This unique and highly innovative book will have strong appeal for those with an interest in Islamic economics, public policy, banking, and Asian and Middle Eastern studies.


This book's starting point is that after two decades of experiments, during which other transition economies have effectively privatised all of their former state enterprises, China is still endeavouring to find a way to reinvent and re-engineer its own state-owned economic establishments.

The authors explore these reforms along with the problems of China's state-owned banks, which have long been troubled by the adverse loans of Chinese enterprises and face foreign competition in 2007 under China's WTO commitments. Drawing on wide-ranging case studies of enterprise reform, Becky Chiu and Mervyn Lewis combine their extensive experience to give an authoritative account of China's enterprise and bank reform agenda, involving property rights, improved corporate governance and stimulating enterprise.

This book will be of great interest to business economists, academic economists and those following the development of the Chinese economy.