EN
Not so long ago, in the mid-90s Southeast Asian region seemed to face safe and brilliant future, as the World's economic „power station for the new century, as well as the source of world moral and social values. The success of the countries in the past three decades was based on different factors, of which: policy of openness to the world, high savings and investment rates, investments in human resources, entrepreneurship, hard work, development-oriented governments and wise macroeconomic policy were the most important ones. A main key to success were export sectors that play the part of the engines of growth as well as deepening integration with the world economy. There has always been a common trait in the development of each of the countries, that is the high rate of state interventionism. The dilemma of open markets versus government control" has never existed there. It has always been only the problem of proportions between the two. The author shows the Southeast Asian economies, their success, failures during the financial crisis of 1997-1998 and the achievements at the end of the current decade. She also analyzes the factors being in the background of Southeast Asian victories and failures. The author points out export-oriented protectionism and three expressions that may characterize the role of Southeast Asian governments, that is: paternalism, pragmatism and open-oriented policy.