Sri Lanka and Malaysia have many traits in common--both were former colonies, have similar land areas and resource endowments, and they have plantation and mining export sectors which co-exist with subsistence farming with the major crop as rice. Bruton examines these similarities and contrast the differences that exist. He emphasizes the constraints within each country's government policies, evaluating the origins and legitimacies of these restrictions. As with other titles in the series, this work provides an historical narrative with which to understand the path of development each country has taken.