Adopting new and much more comprehensive concepts of both power and politics, The Retreat of the State develops a theoretical framework to show who really governs the world economy. It goes on to explore some of the non-state authorities, from mafias to the Big Six accounting firms and international bureaucrats, whose power over who gets what in the world encroaches on that of national governments. The book is a signpost, pointing to some promising new directions for the future development of research and teaching in international political economy. Its originality and scope make The Retreat of the State of great importance for scholars and students of international relations, business and management.
• Widens scope of studies of politics and power, including many innovative ideas • Will stimulate fresh thinking and research into international relations, business and economics • Readable and non-technical, but authoritative and informative - author is distinguished and well-known scholar
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.
Review
‘Susan Strange’s latest work, The Retreat of the State, goes a long way to breaking the bounds of traditional analyses of the international political economy. Instead of concentrating on well-covered ground involving trade relations and balances between states … the book takes a much broader look at the functions of the world economy and the diffusion of authority within it to legitimately perform those functions.’ The Review of Politics
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