Why is modern political theory philosophically so feeble and politically so unconvincing? This volume of essays discusses the historical sources of these weaknesses and suggests how they might begin to be remedied. The essays treat in relation to one another the history of modern philosophy and the practical relations between states, societies and economies in the modern world. The different approaches required to understand each of these are displayed, and the formidable difficulties of combining them satisfactorily are examined. Only if that is achieved however, do we stand a chance in John Dunn's view of overcoming the limitation of existing understandings of politics. And only then will we be able to arrive at a theory of collective prudence which unites moral awareness and a realistic appreciation of the nature, and the dangers, of modern politics.

Product Description: Collecting and synthesizing a series of essays on the political economy of trade and development policy, this book explores the following research questions: to what extent is the global trading regime reducing the ability of nation-states to pursue policies for financial stability and economic growth; and what political factors explain such changes in policy space over time, across different types of trade treaties and across nations? Gallagher presents intriguing findings on the policy constraints on the Uruguay Round, as well as the significant restrictions that the USA places upon the ability of developing nations to deploy a range of development strategies for stability and growth...read more

Product Description: In the eyes of many, China's unprecedented economic rise has brought nothing but good news to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Indeed, China's growing appetite for primary products, and the ability of Latin America to supply that demand, has played a role in restoring growth in Latin America, both in the run-up to the global financial crisis and in its aftermath...read more

Product Description: In this comprehensive reference work, Kevin Gallagher has compiled a fresh and broad-ranging collection of expert voices commenting on the interdisciplinary field of trade and the environment. For over two decades policymakers and scholars have been struggling to understand the relationship between international trade in a globalizing world and its effects on the natural environment...read more

Product Description: Foreign investment has been widely perceived as a panacea for developing countries--as a way to reduce poverty and kick-start sustainable modern industries. The Enclave Economy calls this prescription into question, showing that Mexico's post-NAFTA experience of foreign direct investment in its information technology sector, particularly in the Guadalajara region, did not result in the expected benefits...read more

Product Description: This book examines how far the economic forces and rules that govern the global economy are shrinking the "policy space" available to developing countries in constructing policies to raise living standards. The contributors analyze what room for movement developing countries still have, despite global macro-economic realities, IMF/World Bank policies, and the trade rules regime of the World Trade Organization...read more

Product Description: Free Trade and the Environment examines the impact economic integration has on the environment, using Mexico, which transformed itself from one of the most closed economies to one of the world's most open, as a case study. As new nations join the Free Trade Area of the Americas or the World Trade Organization, they are considering the path taken by Mexico nearly 20 years ago...read more

Product Description: This book, as the title suggests, explains how General equilibrium, the dominant conceptual framework in mainstream economics, describes a perfectly impossible world. Even with its counterfactual assumptions taken for granted, it fails on many levels...read more

Product Description: What are the ends of economic activity? According to neoclassical theory, efficient interaction of the profit-maximizing "ideal producer" and the utility-maximizing "ideal consumer" will eventually lead to some sort of social optimum...read more