Introduction

This study demonstrates why the global economy and global policies can only be understood by assigning equal importance to actors from different continents and international institutions.

Trade and International Agreements

The contributors begin by examining the effects of reducing trade barriers through the WTO processes, and the implications for our understanding of market forces, the diminishing capacity of governments, consumer power, and the role of international agreements.

Regional Strategies

They provide fascinating details on how the European Union and Japan develop their own strategies toward emerging Asian and Latin American states, quite separately from the United States.

Latin American Integration

The focus then shifts toward integration processes in Latin America.

Economic Policies and Development Strategies

The book concludes by attempting to make sense of the political principles underlying the complex economic policies of the main actors in today’s global economy, focusing on development strategies offered by the World Bank.