Chapter 5 presents the first of our three scenarios in which the state, instead of surrendering to global and subnational political and economic pressures, seeks to reassert some of its lost control. States have historically played a critical role in the economy by resolving different types of collective action problems which economic actors have not had any incentives to resolve on their own (Pierre, 1997a) and there is little to suggest that the current economy would be any less bothered by such problems than previous capitalist economies. More importantly, states still have considerable powers and resources which can be employed to enhance their influence in society and in markets. Also, states can rely on a brokerage role to maintain some control over their environments.