In this provocative reexamination of theories of accelerated development, or catching up, Inozemtsev traces the evolution of thinking about how countries lagging behind can most swiftly move forward, and assesses their prospects for success in this effort. Inozemtsev reviews the experience of the Soviet Union, as well as the recent experience of Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Catching Up assesses prospects for successful application of theories of accelerated development in the global economy. Inozemtsev's pessimistic conclusion is that rapid industrial progress is not achievable in the information society of the twenty-first century.