Routledge Studies in Contemporary Political Economy – serie

This text presents a devastating critique of the currently fashionable idea of globalisation. Using comprehensive and non-technical language this book looks at the world's cultural and value diversity, and questions whether it is possible to impose a global policy, given these differences. Topics covered include:* theories of distribution and welfare* what leads to a good economic outcome?* Egalitarian theories of welfarism* global neoliberalism and the free market culture.

In Global Instability , internationally renowned contributors examine the key problems besetting the world economy in the era of globalisation and outline possible solutions. They reject the current orthodoxy in mainstream economics, challenging the fatalistic belief that the new globalised economy resists any change of course. The book reviews · international economic institutions, · the linked crises which recently hit Asian economies · the implications of globalisation, the role of multinational investment, the IMF and the World Bank. Global Instability is a comprehensive and much-needed analysis of the contemporary economy written by leading authorities in the field, and will be vital reading for anyone in management, business, or economics.

The Political Economy of Competitiveness offers an original perspective on the relationship between economic theory and policy. It places the issues within an accessible political economy perspective.Rejecting the narrowness of mainstream economics the authors deploy an interdisciplinary approach to the problem of economic growth, placing it in its historical and political context. Issues covered include:* trade theory and policy* industrial decline and policy* markets, competition and innovation* globalisation, unemployment and government policy.The book provides a valuable guide to the major economic policy issues for both economists and business students.

This volume offers an original perspective on the questions the great economists have asked and looks at their significance for todays world. Written in a provocative and accessible style, it examines how the diverse traditions of political economy have conceptualised economic issues, events and theory. Going beyond the orthodoxies of mainstream economics it shows the relevance of political economy to the debates on the economic meaning of our times. Reconstructing Political Economy is a timely and thought-provoking contribution to a political economy for our time. In this light it offers fresh insights into such issues as modern theories of growth, the historic relations between state and market and the significance of globalisation for modern societies.

This volume offers an original perspective on the questions the great economists have asked and looks at their significance for todays world. Written in a provocative and accessible style, it examines how the diverse traditions of political economy have conceptualised economic issues, events and theory. Going beyond the orthodoxies of mainstream economics it shows the relevance of political economy to the debates on the economic meaning of our times. Reconstructing Political Economy is a timely and thought-provoking contribution to a political economy for our time. In this light it offers fresh insights into such issues as modern theories of growth, the historic relations between state and market and the significance of globalisation for modern societies.

This text presents a devastating critique of the currently fashionable idea of globalisation. Using comprehensive and non-technical language this book looks at the world's cultural and value diversity, and questions whether it is possible to impose a global policy, given these differences. Topics covered include:* theories of distribution and welfare* what leads to a good economic outcome?* Egalitarian theories of welfarism* global neoliberalism and the free market culture.

Eichner's classic A Guide to Post-Keynesian Economics (1978) is still seen as the definitive staging post for those wishing to familiarise themselves with the Post-Keynesian School. This book brings the story up-to-date.Of all the subgroups within heterodox economics, Post-Keynesianism has provided the most convincing alternative to mainstream theory. The main representatives of the Post-Keynesianism from both sides of the Atlantic are represented here, including Paul Davidson, Geoff Harcourt and Sheila Dow.

Eichner's classic A Guide to Post-Keynesian Economics (1978) is still seen as the definitive staging post for those wishing to familiarise themselves with the Post-Keynesian School. This book brings the story up-to-date.Of all the subgroups within heterodox economics, Post-Keynesianism has provided the most convincing alternative to mainstream theory. The main representatives of the Post-Keynesianism from both sides of the Atlantic are represented here, including Paul Davidson, Geoff Harcourt and Sheila Dow.

The idea of Social Capital is an attempt to incorporate social considerations into mainstream economic thinking. Its proponents feel that social factors are properly quantifiable. So, they use the compex algebra and statistics beloved of mainstream economic theory and measure 'units' of health care or education in the same way that they would machinery or transport.Ben Fine's main argument in this book is that such concers cannot be judged in terms of mathematical methods and that to try t odo so is overly simplistic.Fine assesses the impact of Social Impact across the social sciences and shows how economic analysis is being subsumed into these areas and how thinking in sociology and politics impacts upon economics.

The idea of Social Capital is an attempt to incorporate social considerations into mainstream economic thinking. Its proponents feel that social factors are properly quantifiable. So, they use the compex algebra and statistics beloved of mainstream economic theory and measure 'units' of health care or education in the same way that they would machinery or transport.Ben Fine's main argument in this book is that such concers cannot be judged in terms of mathematical methods and that to try t odo so is overly simplistic.Fine assesses the impact of Social Impact across the social sciences and shows how economic analysis is being subsumed into these areas and how thinking in sociology and politics impacts upon economics.

In recent years there has been a great deal of discussion about the social economy and the term 'the third way' has attained a level of household recognition, especially in America and Britain. Academics and commentators have debated the usefulness of the social economy as a restraint on capitalist excesses with some arguing that the 'third way' is but a poor substitute for a welfare state. This book provides a refreshing and accessible account of real life experience in a social economy.By focusing on new evidence, this book critically analyses such themes as:*the range of academic and policy expectation that have emerged in recent years in the developed world*the policies of New Labour in Britain*the dynamics of social enterprises in Bristol, London, Middlesbrough and Glasgow.These critical assessments lead the authors to reflect in the future potential of the social economy and the possible policy changes that are necessary to maximise whatever opportunity the sector provides.

In recent years we have seen the predictions of our forebears that leisure time would increase as the years pass utterly confounded. It is a fact of life that in major cities across the world, transport systems are full to bursting with people on their way to and from work. As people have come to accept longer working hours as a way of life, a number of new issues have come into play.These include labour market regulation, contract work and outsourcing, wages and increased attempts at better organisation. The impressive array of expert contributors, including Mark Harvey, Jane Humphries and Frank Wilkinson, have compiled a comprehensive and interesting book.

The 'new economy' has been criticised greatly of late, and after the speculation and hype that surrounded the internet bubble, this is hardly surprising. This book, first published in French and updated here, however treats the 'new economy' as a discourse - one that is often misleading. In order to understand what happened during the internet bubble and the fuss that surrounded it, a central element - intellectual speculation - needs to be understood. New Economy, New Myth treats this speculation as a form of 'ultra-free-market' thinking. According to this line of thought, the internet and the digital revolution are acting as a sort of Trojan horse in spreading market deregulation across the globe. With so much having been written about the new economy, this book employs a mixture of academic rigour and readable prose and comes as a welcome relief. It will be an intriguing read for those interested in the internet bubble - and the hyperbole that surrounded it.

The 'new economy' has been criticised greatly of late, and after the speculation and hype that surrounded the internet bubble, this is hardly surprising. This book, first published in French and updated here, however treats the 'new economy' as a discourse - one that is often misleading. In order to understand what happened during the internet bubble and the fuss that surrounded it, a central element - intellectual speculation - needs to be understood. New Economy, New Myth treats this speculation as a form of 'ultra-free-market' thinking. According to this line of thought, the internet and the digital revolution are acting as a sort of Trojan horse in spreading market deregulation across the globe. With so much having been written about the new economy, this book employs a mixture of academic rigour and readable prose and comes as a welcome relief. It will be an intriguing read for those interested in the internet bubble - and the hyperbole that surrounded it.

Just how risky is the movie industry? Is screenwriter William Goldman's claim that "nobody knows anything" really true? Can a star and a big opening change a movie's risks and return? Do studio executives really earn their huge paychecks? These and many other questions are answered in Hollywood Economics. The book uses powerful analytical models to uncover the wild uncertainty that shapes the industry. The centerpiece of the analysis is the unpredictable and often chaotic dynamic behaviour of motion picture audiences. This unique and important book will be of interest to students and researchers involved in the economics of movies, industrial economics and business studies. The book will also be a real eye-opener for film writers, movie executives, finance and risk management professionals as well as more general movie fans.

Just how risky is the movie industry? Is screenwriter William Goldman's claim that "nobody knows anything" really true? Can a star and a big opening change a movie's risks and return? Do studio executives really earn their huge paychecks? These and many other questions are answered in Hollywood Economics. The book uses powerful analytical models to uncover the wild uncertainty that shapes the industry. The centerpiece of the analysis is the unpredictable and often chaotic dynamic behaviour of motion picture audiences. This unique and important book will be of interest to students and researchers involved in the economics of movies, industrial economics and business studies. The book will also be a real eye-opener for film writers, movie executives, finance and risk management professionals as well as more general movie fans.

Pushing the frontiers of the new development paradigm, this book guides debates, clarifies new themes and illustrates how the cultural resources of the developing world can become a new way of integrating into the global economy - helping to raise the voices of developing countries, widening the range of creative choices and promoting cultural diversity and economic and human development. Mixing theory, country case-studies and policy analysis this volume argues that developing countries can use their creative assets and energies as a source of economic growth - if they can better position themselves in the global economy, turning on its head the polarized debate about commerce and culture to take a fresh look at some traditional activities whose intrinsic cultural value has for too long hidden their economic worth.It includes essays from economists, lawyers and industry experts on global trade trends; digital-technology; film in West Africa; audio visuals in India; the music industry in Brazil and the Caribbean; the copyright industry in Arab countries, and policy lessons from developed countries - including sources of finance, subsidies and the role of incubators and intermediaries.Fresh and incisive, this policy lead book on one of the world’s fastest growing sectors is an invaluable resource for to economists and policy-makers alike, as well as those with an interest in industrial organization, development policy, evolutionary economics and the creative industries.

This book is the culmination of several years work by a group of academics, policy-makers and other professionals looking to understand how alternative economic thinking – and indeed thinking from quite different social-scientific disciplines – could enhance the mainstream economic approach to environmental and natural-resource problems. Of the editors, Dietz comes from the mainstream economics tradition, while Michie and Oughton draw explicitly on institutional and evolutionary economics. The various authors represent a range of disciplinary backgrounds and approaches. This book draws on the strengths of each and all of these approaches to analyse environmental issues and what can be done to tackle these through corporate and public policy.This book makes the case for an inter-disciplinary approach. Two themes which emerge repeatedly throughout the book are the need for an interdisciplinary theory of technological change, and the need for a similarly interdisciplinary approach to the study of human behaviour and how it influences both production and consumption choices. The two themes are of course related. Resolving environmental questions requires an understanding of their nature, of their causes and, to the extent that they are anthropogenic, of how to change human behaviour. These fundamental issues are the focus of the four chapters that form Part 1 of this volume. The remainder of the volume develops them in more detail..

Pushing the frontiers of the new development paradigm, this book guides debates, clarifies new themes and illustrates how the cultural resources of the developing world can become a new way of integrating into the global economy - helping to raise the voices of developing countries, widening the range of creative choices and promoting cultural diversity and economic and human development. Mixing theory, country case-studies and policy analysis this volume argues that developing countries can use their creative assets and energies as a source of economic growth - if they can better position themselves in the global economy, turning on its head the polarized debate about commerce and culture to take a fresh look at some traditional activities whose intrinsic cultural value has for too long hidden their economic worth.It includes essays from economists, lawyers and industry experts on global trade trends; digital-technology; film in West Africa; audio visuals in India; the music industry in Brazil and the Caribbean; the copyright industry in Arab countries, and policy lessons from developed countries - including sources of finance, subsidies and the role of incubators and intermediaries.Fresh and incisive, this policy lead book on one of the world’s fastest growing sectors is an invaluable resource for to economists and policy-makers alike, as well as those with an interest in industrial organization, development policy, evolutionary economics and the creative industries.

The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed a rapid rise in bilateral preferential trade agreements at the beginning of the twenty-first century. This trend could have potentially dramatic effects on the trading patterns of countries in the transpacific region and beyond. Some argue that these accords will spur multilateral negotiations, while others believe that they will irreparably damage the trading system.Bilateral Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific examines the underlying political and economic factors driving these accords, based on a novel theoretical framework. Experts then provide overviews of political and economic trends in the region as well as detailed analysis of the trade strategies of Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Mexico.By systematically evaluating and assessing the driving forces underlying the turn to bilateral trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific, this book provides the first comprehensive analysis of this crucial phenomenon. Growing numbers of countries both in the region and elsewhere in the world are now considering further negotiation of bilateral trade accords. Understanding how these arrangements will fit or conflict with existing institutions in the Asia-Pacific and the WTO makes this book imperative reading for policy-makers and scholars.

The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed a rapid rise in bilateral preferential trade agreements at the beginning of the twenty-first century. This trend could have potentially dramatic effects on the trading patterns of countries in the transpacific region and beyond. Some argue that these accords will spur multilateral negotiations, while others believe that they will irreparably damage the trading system.Bilateral Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific examines the underlying political and economic factors driving these accords, based on a novel theoretical framework. Experts then provide overviews of political and economic trends in the region as well as detailed analysis of the trade strategies of Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Mexico.By systematically evaluating and assessing the driving forces underlying the turn to bilateral trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific, this book provides the first comprehensive analysis of this crucial phenomenon. Growing numbers of countries both in the region and elsewhere in the world are now considering further negotiation of bilateral trade accords. Understanding how these arrangements will fit or conflict with existing institutions in the Asia-Pacific and the WTO makes this book imperative reading for policy-makers and scholars.

Trade Protectionism in an Uncertain and Interconnected Global Economy presents the results of almost five years of research on the political economy of trade policy. It argues that in a global context dominated by economic uncertainty and interdependencies, the mechanisms that have fueled the diffusion of trade liberalization under the World Trade Organization (preferential trade agreements and global value chains) can also become channels for protectionism (based on less observable non- tariff or murkier measures).Countries have changed the way they respond to protectionism, which impacts bilateral relations. The author explores why and how increased global trade interconnectivity has also become a channel for new forms of trade protectionism, and especially how this impacts the developing world. These counterintuitive dynamics constitute the newest wave in the literature on trade interdependence. Previous research on trade policy has often concentrated on just one aspect of the effects of an interconnected global economy: the more political and economic linkages countries build among themselves, the fewer tensions they will generate across borders. From a trade policy perspective, this causal claim has held steady for many decades. This book bridges academic analysis with trade policymaking and offers a road map for the kinds of commercial policy reforms that will be essential for the successful revival of world markets after global economic crises as it was the COVID-19 pandemic.This book will appeal to postgraduates, researchers, and academics interested in international political economy, comparative political economy, development, business, and all those with a particular interest in Latin American trade policy dynamics. It will also be of interest to trade policy scholars, practitioners, and readers with an interest in how governments, firms, and regions around the developing world transition into more knowledge-intensive activities.

Trade Protectionism in an Uncertain and Interconnected Global Economy presents the results of almost five years of research on the political economy of trade policy. It argues that in a global context dominated by economic uncertainty and interdependencies, the mechanisms that have fueled the diffusion of trade liberalization under the World Trade Organization (preferential trade agreements and global value chains) can also become channels for protectionism (based on less observable non- tariff or murkier measures).Countries have changed the way they respond to protectionism, which impacts bilateral relations. The author explores why and how increased global trade interconnectivity has also become a channel for new forms of trade protectionism, and especially how this impacts the developing world. These counterintuitive dynamics constitute the newest wave in the literature on trade interdependence. Previous research on trade policy has often concentrated on just one aspect of the effects of an interconnected global economy: the more political and economic linkages countries build among themselves, the fewer tensions they will generate across borders. From a trade policy perspective, this causal claim has held steady for many decades. This book bridges academic analysis with trade policymaking and offers a road map for the kinds of commercial policy reforms that will be essential for the successful revival of world markets after global economic crises as it was the COVID-19 pandemic.This book will appeal to postgraduates, researchers, and academics interested in international political economy, comparative political economy, development, business, and all those with a particular interest in Latin American trade policy dynamics. It will also be of interest to trade policy scholars, practitioners, and readers with an interest in how governments, firms, and regions around the developing world transition into more knowledge-intensive activities.