The Retreat of the State: The Diffusion of Power in the World Economy

by Susan Strange

Overview

Who is really in charge of the world economy? Not only governments, argues Susan Strange in The Retreat of the State. Big businesses, drug barons, insurers, accountants and international bureaucrats all encroach on the so-called sovereignty of the state. Professor Strange examines the implications of this rivalry and points to some new directions for research in international relations, international business and economics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521564298
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/13/1996
Series:	Cambridge Studies in International Relations , #49
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.91(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. Theoretical Foundations: 1. The declining authority of the state; 2. Patterns of power; 3. The limits of politics; 4. Politics and production; 5. The state of the state; Part II. Some Empirical Evidence: 6. Authority beyond the state; 7. Telecoms - the control of communication; 8. Organised crime - the Mafias; 9. Insurance business - the risk managers; 10. The Big Six accountants; 11. Cartels and private protectionism; 12. International organisations - the econocrats; Part III. Conclusions: 13. Pinocchio's problem and other conclusions.

Editorial Reviews

"The Retreat of the State is rich in detailed argument and discussion....This book deserves a very wide readership among those interested in where the modern territorial state and the modern state system are headed as we enter the twenty-first century." Stephen J. Kobrin, American Political Science Review

"...an impassioned critique of those who argue that the state's control of its currency, or even home-based multinational companies, remains intact....a refreshing pause from the political and academic attacks that attend globalization and a sophisticated interweaving of the political and economic threads that are globalization." Current History

"The Retreat of the State goes a long way to breaking the bounds of traditional analyses of the international political economy." Daniel J. Whiteneck, The Review of Politics

"The Retreat of the State is rich in detailed argument and discussion....This book deserves a very wide readership among those interested in where the modern territorial state and the modern state system are headed as we enter the twenty-first century." Stephen J. Kobrin, American Political Science Review

"...an impassioned critique of those who argue that the state's control of its currency, or even home-based multinational companies, remains intact....a refreshing pause from the political and academic attacks that attend globalization and a sophisticated interweaving of the political and economic threads that are globalization." Current History

"The Retreat of the State goes a long way to breaking the bounds of traditional analyses of the international political economy." Daniel J. Whiteneck, The Review of Politics

"...the book provides a useful discussion of some of the major dimensions of political change in the global economy....it will be useful for students who wish a good introduction to the topic." The International History Review

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