Abstract This paper explains that current political economic changes across the globe, such as the appearance of the euro, trends in foreign direct investment and the introduction of the Internet, have lead to a need to reform existing internationalpolitics and implement a more efficient system. The author points out that automobile and electronic manufacturers are not in favor of a globalized free trade but rather find it more advantageous to employ a closed economic block to wage war against rival firms in Japan and Europe. The paper stresses that an increasing gap between developing and rich nations needs to be stemmed by creating an environment, which is beneficial for conditions of long-term per capita income growth.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
History of Globalization and InternationalPoliticalEconomy Issues Surrounding Trade
Environmental and Social Issues
The InternationalPolitical Situation: Now and in the Future
Problems InternationalPolitical Economists Must Overcome
Conclusion: Future Directions
From the Paper "Contemporary trends toward enforcing major trade policies between numerous countries have provided a number of challenges. Even over the last decade, the NAFTA agreement, the WTO and the proposed (and failed) fast-track scheme U.S. President Clinton proposed in 1997-98 are three world-renown examples. NAFTA caused a lot of controversy, not only outside of U.S. borders but within. The agreement aimed to expand on an existing arrangement between the U.S. and Canada of "free trade" (a hallmark of globalization) which expanded in the late 1980s to include Mexico. "
Tags: nafta, neoliberalism, debt, labor, distribution
Abstract This paper examines and analyzes the role of the International Monetary Fund in the internationalpoliticaleconomy. The author discusses specific IMF policies, and why some of the old policies don't work anymore.
Abstract This paper discusses today's internationalpoliticaleconomy. It compares the rival political philosophies of the modern world - realism, liberalism and Marxism. It discusses the differences in their outlook on current conditions and possible or desirable directions. The paper then discusses whether a new order is forming and if it can be considered truly global, democratic and free market.
From the Paper "Globalization appears inevitably to be replacing the old system of independent nation states. On an economic level, this means that relations that once appeared to concern only those who resided in a particular place and under a certain jurisdiction, now affect countless others in locations across the planet. Theorists of different backgrounds have wrestled with the dynamics of creating and maintaining a workable world order. Much of the Westphalian system came out of old fashioned, hard-nosed Realist thinking. States, like people, operated for their own selfish interests. Karl Marx and his followers changed this emphasis by drawing attention to the plight of the vast numbers of dispossessed. They reasoned that the continued oppression of the masses through the economic exploitation of the few, would lead inevitably to class warfare. This class warfare, writ large, appears to be with us now on the global stage. Terrorists and other discontents threaten the traditional hegemony of the West and its capitalist free market system."
Tags: globalization power investors democracy, free market
Abstract This paper explains that the main themes of this book are three theories of international economics described in a historical order according to the epoch when they were first introduced: mercantilism, liberalism, and Marxism. The author points out that it is difficult to find a country where these theories of politicaleconomy can be realized clearly in daily practices; the processes of globalization, goods exchange, industrialization, and development of social infrastructure within one country and within the world economic community have proven that only an integral model of economical development can be applied in the realities of today. The paper states that, even though Pettman succeeded in describing three main concepts of politicaleconomy, the work lacks an explanation of modern events, and the reading would be more fruitful if there was more information included about countries with transitional economics, such as China and the former socialist states.
From the Paper "Mercantilism considered the wealth of the society to be in accumulation of money (silver and gold). According to the concept of mercantilism wealth and prosperity could be achieved only thanks to the development of foreign trade. The growth of wealth here is obvious: cheap good are sold for higher prices abroad. The problem of economical theory according to mercantilists was the development of the most effective recommendations for the state politics in regulating economics. Mercantilists thought that for the development of favorable conditions for economical growth, the state has to intervene in economics, encourage native industry and trade."
Tags: mercantilism, liberalism, marxism, practices, integral
Abstract This paper looks at how the realist and liberal perspectives can be used to explain and provide insight into the internationalpoliticaleconomy within the context of globalization. It then compares these perspectives to the structuralist perspective and argues that the structuralist perspective provides the greatest and most useful insights into globalization and contemporary internationalpoliticaleconomy.
From the Paper "The realist perspective of IPE, or international relations and international economic relations between states, may be one of the most enduring of the three explanatory and theoretical models referred to in the introduction but, it is, nonetheless problematic. Realism, as the current section shall try to elucidate, is based on a number of assumptions which, ironically, are not consistently realistic in the sense that they hold equally true for all times and places. Peter J. Kazenstein implies as much in "Domestic Structures and Strategies of Foreign Economic Policy," wherein he maintains that the globalization framework seems somewhat at odds with the hypothesis of states consistently acting for expansion and preservation of their "power," not to mention for the protection of their national interests (891-893). While this section of the paper will not dispute that states are the primary actors, either within the domestic or international arena, or that state actions are primarily directed by concern over national security and power status, it will argue that within a globalized world the very concept of national security, interest and power has expanded to include economic interests. That does not mean to imply that the realist perspective overlooked the economic component of power and national interest but, that it underplayed its importance. Cohn admits this when he writes that "realists have developed their theories by drawing mainly on politics and history rather than economics; ... [and that] the realists' emphasis on power has most often directed their attention to strategic-security issues rather than to economic issues" (59). Bearing this specific weakness in mind, and pending a definition of the realist perspective, this section shall try to illustrate that while certain aspects of the realist perspective are no longer very realistic, given the framework of globalization, this particular perspective still contains a number of principle beliefs which provide the student with greater insight into international political economy, or IPE."
Abstract The paper relates that "Global PoliticalEconomy: Theory and Practice" was written by Theodore H. Cohn to analyze a variety of issues in global and regional trade policy, theories of international relations and the role of international institutions. The paper provides an evaluation of Chapter Three entitled "The Realist Perspective". The paper posits that Cohn brings complex theoretical issues into a practical and useful framework for the student reader.
From the Paper "The book Global Political Economy: Theory and Practice was written by Theodore H. Cohn to analyze a variety of issues in global and regional trade policy, theories of international relations and the role of international institutions. It takes a broad overview of the central theoretical currents in International Political Economy (IPE), and explores the key intellectual positions in global political theory. For example, it looks at the positions held by such thinkers as realists (the right-wing), liberals (proponents of free trade) and historical structuralists (the left-wing), and applies these ideas into a real-world context. By offering a centrist position that puts major themes in the world economy into perspective, Cohn allows the reader to relate these abstract notions to concrete practice."
This essay is divided into two parts whereby the first part examines the three conditions Karl Marx wrote about in "Contribution to the Critique of PoliticalEconomy" and the second part explains the predominant philosophical force in the Nicaraguan Revol
710 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 0 sources, 2000, $ 25.95
Abstract The following essay discusses Karl Marx's "Contribution to the Critique of PoliticalEconomy" in which he argued that people will come to the point of seeking revolutionary overthrow of their government when they recognize the ways in which they have been alienated from their own labor. In the second part of the essay the writer contends that this does not seem to have been the predominant philosophical force in the Nicaraguan Revolution.
From the Paper "If we are to translate this into common English, we see that what Marx is arguing is that the real basis for society is not its culture but its economic structure, or what is more commonly today called the infrastructure. This economic structure includes a number of interdependent but clearly distinguishable parts: the material forces of production which is simply human labor and means of production, and (b) the overall relations of production which are the social and political arrangements that regulate production and distribution (such as copyright and patent law, labor law, labor unions)."
Abstract This paper discusses the changes in the Japanese politicaleconomy that have been caused by globalization and other changes in the domestic and internationaleconomies. It examines whether Japan's changes are similar to those of other industrial countries that are also subject to the same systematic pressures. The paper then analyzes whether Japan's politicaleconomy is converging with other industrial economies or if Japans' changes are different from others'.
Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
History of Japan's Economy Japan's Economy In Times Of War
Features Of The Current Economy Changes In The Japanese Economy And The Factors That Generated Them
Demographic Factor
Privatization of Japan
Globalization
Other Changes
Statistics
From the Paper "What is interesting about this certain period in the Japanese economy is the fact that the state used to trade the rice even before it was harvested. They would acquire several goods and products from international commerce partners, and promise to pay the counter value in rice once it was harvested. Today, we refer to these specific business making techniques as futures trade contracts."
"In the nineteenth century, the ruling power of Japan became the Tokugwana government. For the first time in the Japanese political economic history, the Tokugwana government officially liberalized trade relationships. Not only that, but the leading power also "first opened the country to Western commerce and influence." In this order of ideas, the Japanese government encouraged and supported young students to continue and specialize their studies abroad and, for those remaining in the country, brought Western professors to teach them the secrets of mathematics, physics, logistics and economics."
Abstract This paper is an internationalpoliticaleconomy examination of the role of advertising on the promotion of globalization. The author theorizes about the role advertising plays in the creation of global consciousness and how they create consumption, leading to globalization. It is concluded that through the advertising industry, we can both see the progression of globalization and observe the process in action.
From the Paper ""Where's the beef"? These three words catapulted Wendy's into the North American media spotlight during the mid-1980s. As a direct result, their revenues increased by 31% and their profits by 24%. "Where's the beef"? became so ubiquitous that vice-presidential candidate Walter Mondale used it during the 1984 US presidential campaign. Such is the power of advertising, and as such, the power of the advertising industry. An arbiter of the "cool", the "useful", and the "now"; the power of the advertising industry is arguably a reflection of the increasing importance of "the sell" in modern society. Major daily newspapers devote pages to the latest (and greatest) deals, mergers, and acquisitions of major corporations. Business news broadcasts on radio and television, relay these same deeds with all the excitement of sporting events. Politics itself is increasingly being "sold" to the public. The "packaging" of political ideas into crisp soundbites, political candidates into ideal persons and the "spinning" of issues in order to get the public to accept (or buy into) a particular candidate or side of an argument, has increased greatly in the past twenty years. The advertising industry has become increasingly forthright in telling the public that its endeavouring to sell them products, and even "spin doctors" as they are colloquially known, have stepped into the fore of the political arena. There are magazines devoted to praising, criticising, and poking fun at advertising tactics. In the political arena, there is an increased effort to not only recognize the "spin" of an issue, but to also anticipate what form the spin may take on certain questions. In this environment, the advertising industry has become an increasingly relevant factor in everyday life and, concomitantly, in the study of international political economy (IPE). Not because of the obvious fact that many of the larger advertising firms are transnational in nature and therefore, directly within the IPE's sphere of study. Rather, the industry's relevance stems from the fact that its purpose, talent, and trade is persuasion ? persuasion that is increasingly being carried out internationally. This paper will argue that one such consequence has been, and continues to be, the perpetuation of the process of globalization. By globally executing marketing and branding campaigns, the advertising industry furthers the process of globalization by leading to the formation of multiple global consciousnesses along the lines of consumption ? consumption that has played a role in generating."
Abstract This paper examines the role of Iranian oil wealth and politics in the development of the Iranian nation. The paper presents bot the mercantilist and economic liberal perspectives of internationalpoliticaleconomy.
From the Paper "Nikki Keddie described post-revolutionary Iran as a country in which a theocracy based upon Shi'i Islamic thought has come into being in part as a reaction against secularization and in part as a response to the Pahlavi regime. Since Shah Reza Mohammad Pahlavi was overthrown by forces inspired by the Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran has undertaken a program of nation-building, regional activism and economic development that emerges almost exclusively from Islam."
This paper proves that globalization is a phenomenon that occurs within the global politicaleconomy and that the former (GPE) can survive and has survived both with and without globalization.
Abstract The paper is divided into three sections. The first two sections concentrate on definitions for global politicaleconomy and globalization. The different definitions for each are reviewed, and the controversies that surround these definitions are also be highlighted. Each section concludes with an attempt to arrive at a comprehensive and acceptable definition for each of the mentioned phenomena. These are followed up by the third section, which, drawing upon the definitions examined, specifically discuss the differences between global politicaleconomy and globalization, demonstrating that, while the global politicaleconomy can exist without globalization, the existence of globalization requires the presence of a global politicaleconomy.
From the Paper "There is a widespread confusion regarding the meaning of global political economy whereby, according to Professor Henry Tuene of the University of Pennsylvania, some believe it to be interchangeable with the term globalization, and others believe it to be so regarding the term international political economy. However, as shall be later argued, there is a distinct difference between globalization and global political economy. As regards the distinction between global political economy and international political economy, it is expressed in the following quote from Professor Tuene: a global political economy, as opposed to a "national or international [one], would fuse rather than separate the normative and the empirical, and would address the main outlines of the future rather than predict marginal, short-term changes" (523). The point that Professor Tuene is making in this quote is that the international economy has, ever since the development of transportation system that allowed trade between nations, irrespective of distance between them, existed for centuries. However, it was an economy that was based on trade dependencies, and a limited amount of capital flow, as Craig N. Murphy explains (515), and not on interdependency between the various national economies of the world."
Abstract This paper examines how Deng Xiaping started China's economic reforms in 1978 with the announcement of the "Open Door Policy" and how, prior to the introduction of the new policy, China had followed the radical, centrally directed economic policies of Mao that emphasized self-reliance and closed its door to trade with foreign countries. It also looks at the roles of Deng Xiaping, Jiang Zeminand and Hu Jintao's three generations of Chinese leadership in China's politicaleconomy, the achievements has China made since then and the main problems with today's Chinese politicaleconomy.
Outline
Deng Xiaoping's Economic Reforms
Achievements by China Since the Initiation of Economic Reforms
Major Problems in Today's Chinese PoliticalEconomy Why China is Not a Democracy Yet
Evaluation of the Roles of Deng, Jiang and Hu in China's PoliticalEconomy
From the Paper "Despite considerable economic gains made by China in the post-1978 period, it is still faced with a number of serious politico-economic problems. Corruption and other economic crimes have proliferated in China as it has moved towards a market-oriented economy. Unemployment, though not too high in terms of percentages (3% according to official figures ), translates into more than 20 million unemployed workers due to the large Chinese population. ("Economic Overview" Country Watch) In addition to the unemployed, it is estimated that 50 to 100 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, barely surviving through part-time, low-paying jobs. There is a growing trend of inter-regional and urban-rural inequality with the rural areas and areas away from the booming coastal regions, falling significantly behind. Despite efforts at reforming state owned organizations and the closure of a number of loss-making industries, over half of China's large state-owned enterprises are still making losses."
Abstract This paper argues that it is erroneous to state that the politicaleconomy of television sets what viewers see. The paper explains what politicaleconomy is and how this concept impacts society. The writer argues that while the politicaleconomy of a certain network may limit the choices offered to its viewers, the medium is so vast that choices are practically limitless and offerings to viewers are practically unlimited.
From the Paper "Although the term "political economy" has become almost synonymous with Marx, it is actually an idea that predates both Marx and all mediums of modern communication except for the printed word. Jean Jacque Rousseau attempted to explain the term as early as 1755. According to him, in order to accomplish the general will of society, it is necessary to bring all individual wills in conformity with the general will. "As virtue is nothing more than this conformity of the particular wills with the general will" (Rousseau), such conformity will "establish the reign of virtue" (Rousseau)."
Abstract This paper refutes the view that two of the dominant theories of internationalpolitics, realism and liberalism, can be separated so that the liberal lens best explains economic issues and the realist lens best explains security issues. It claims that this division does not explain the complexities of modern world politics. It agrees with the view point of Stephen Walt, that international affairs can best be understood in terms of the continuing competition between the various internationalpolitical theories.
From the Paper "International political theories can be described as formulas used by policymakers to organize information, and they can create a conceptual framework for policy analysis and public discourse. While political theories can help policymakers better understand events, there remains a clear distinction between political theories and political action, and policymakers often take action based more on immediate circumstances than because of the use of any ideological lens. Two of the dominant theories of international politics are labeled realism and liberalism. Some believe that the liberal lens best explains economic issues and that the realist lens best explains security issues, but in fact this division does not explain the complexities of modern world politics. Following Stephen Walt, international affairs can best be understood in terms of the continuing competition between the various international political theories, showing that this competition between different ideas and theories has not only led to a deeper understanding of international affairs, but has also helped ..."
