Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the transition from a command economy to a market economy has been completed—with differing degrees of success—in virtually all formerly communist countries. However, there are still some transition countries that are lagging behind in this process, among them the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia. Regarding these republics which differ from both Russia, Eastern Europe and developed countries in the West, there is no apparent reference model. This article aims at analyzing whether the developmental state that was so successful in East Asia can also serve as a reference model for the Central Asian economies.