Grand Strategy and Foreign Economic Policy: British Grand Strategy in the 1930s

1998 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars S. Skålnes

Variation in the need for military and political support from military allies affects the degree to which foreign economic policies will discriminate in favor of military allies and against adversaries and other countries. Powers in need of such support will pursue discriminatory foreign economic policies in order to change the configuration of domestic interests to favor not only closer economic relations but also closer political relations. By strengthening domestic support for an alliance, policymakers make it more difficult for their allies to renege on alliance commitments. Stronger political relations in turn reinforce the deterrent effect of the alliance. Because the net strategic benefits from closer relations in their case are lower, powers that can go it alone without support from allies will refrain from discriminatory policies. Shifts in strategic need make it possible to explain variation in the links between security considerations and foreign economic policies within alliances over time and also across alliances. British grand strategy in the 1930s illustrates how shifts in strategic need influence the degree to which foreign economic policies discriminate in favor of potential military allies.

2020 ◽  
pp. 67-72
Author(s):  
Ye Bilousov

Problem setting. The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the legal regulation of foreign trade interms of doctrinal and legislative approaches. The author analyzes the basic concepts of foreign trade policy, identifies itsmain components, as well as describes the tools for regulating foreign trade, including customs tariffs. Analysis of recent research and publications. Both domestic and foreign representatives of legal and economicsciences, such as Bachylo I., Zadykhailo D., Kleshchova S., Karvatska N., Sarkisyan L., Stavytsky L. and others, devotedtheir works to the study of the legal regulation of foreign trade. Article’s main body. Presenting main material. CTD is carried out, as a rule, at the level of enterprises (sometimesthey are natural persons-entrepreneurs). The initial principle of the CTD is a commercial calculation based on economicand financial independence and self-payment. CTD – the sphere of entrepreneurship in the system of international exchangeof goods, services, works, information and results of intellectual activity, related to the preparation and implementationof foreign trade operations and agreements. Cross-border trade and free economic zones are considered as special regimesof the CTD. Each country of the world in the framework of participation in foreign economic relations (both directly and throughnational entities of the CTD) pursues foreign economic policy, including in the field of foreign trade. The foreign economicpolicy of the state is the activity of the state aimed at the development and regulation of economic relations with othercountries. The implementation of foreign economic policy involves defining the strategic goals of the state in foreigneconomic relations in general and with individual countries and groups of countries, as well as developing methods andtools to achieve the goals and preserve the results achieved later. Foreign economic policy is aimed at the whole set offoreign economic activity, the hallmark of which is the international purchase and sale of goods and services, as well asthe international movement of material, monetary, labor and intellectual resources. Foreign economic policy is inextricablylinked with the domestic economic policy of the state. Therefore, its content is due to the tasks of expanded reproduction,which the country solves within its national economy. It can be argued that the main task of the foreign economic policyof the state is to create favorable external economic conditions for expanded reproduction within the country. Within theframework of the general foreign economic policy the state carries out: a) foreign trade policy – is the state regulation of export and import operations; b) export promotion policy – a policy aimed at selling in foreign markets goods for which the country has economicadvantages, stimulating the competitiveness of domestic enterprises with foreign ones, increasing the serial productionof competitive products in order to expand its exports (to foreign markets); c) the policy of regulating the import and export of capital. A characteristic feature of capital movements at the presentstage is the inclusion of an increasing number of countries in the process of export and import of capital. At the same time,most countries of the world market economy simultaneously act as exporters and importers of investments. The influenceof developed countries on the movement of capital is carried out, for example, by stimulating the export-import of capitalat the national and interstate levels; d) monetary policy – aims to maintain economic stability and create a solid foundation for the development ofinternational economic relations by influencing the exchange rate and currency exchange operations; e) customs policy is a set of measures taken to ensure the most effective use of instruments of customs control andregulation of trade in the customs territory, participation in trade and policy tasks to protect the domestic market, stimulatethe national economy; f) free trade policy – a policy of minimal government intervention in foreign trade, which develops on the basis offree market forces of supply and demand. Conclusions and prospects for the development. The formation and implementation of state policy in the studyarea involves the possibility and necessity (not absolute) of state intervention in economic processes in order to create aneffective and efficient system of foreign trade. Fulfillment of this task is possible only under the condition of strategicplanning and conceptualization of the principles of state-administrative influence, which, in fact, is the content and essenceof state economic policy in general and state policy in the field of foreign economic activity in particular. Understanding this issue and further resolving these pressing issues at the doctrinal (hereinafter – legislative) levelswill allow the state to be an active participant in foreign trade relations, and thus – to provide national participants in theserelations with potential markets for goods, works and services, to compete effectively in these foreign markets.


1987 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Egon Rohrlich

Political scientists researching economic foreign policy have generally taken one of two analytic approaches. The first is based on realpolitik, the traditional application of “high” politics to the “low” politics of economics. This approach considers economics subordinate to politics. The concept of the national interest dominates; the pursuit of power—what enables the state to achieve its goals of security, welfare, and other societal values—is seen to underlie most actions. The study of foreign economic policy is thus an analysis of the distribution of power among states within the international system. By understanding a state's sources of strength and areas of vulnerability in relation to other states, the analyst will better understand the creation of foreign policy. Hans Morgenthau notes that while states may sometimes pursue economic policies for their own sake (in which case they should take little interest in their success), the more important economic policies they will favor are instruments of political power.Stephen Krasner views the state as an autonomously motivated actor, able to guide policy in pursuit of state priorities while resisting interest groups and ideologies. According to this “power theory”, the state tries to increase its economic competitiveness, ensure security of material needs, and promote its broad foreign-policy objectives. Economic policy is for the most part subordinate to and best explained by state priorities and prerogatives. Robert Tucker, Klaus Knorr, Robert Gilpin and others have also adopted this framework.


Author(s):  
Victoria Nebrat

The purpose of this publication is to present the main idea, conceptual and methodological foundations, theoretical background, sources and directions of the study of the historical development of foreign economic relations of the Ukrainian economy. Finding ways for Ukraine to abandon the pattern of import dependent development and low-tech export is an urgent scientific and practical task. Historical factors play an important role in determining the country’s international specialization and position in world markets. The object of the study is the historical process of the inclusion of Ukraine’s economy in the system of international economic relations. Regularities, trends and national peculiarities in the formation of foreign economic relations of Ukraine’s economy are the subject of the study. The economic methodology of the study is based on an evolutionary-institutional approach. Traditional and contemporary theories of international trade, economic integration, foreign economic policy, international competition and national competitiveness are the theoretical foundations of the study. Analysis of historical sources opens up problem areas of scientific research and gives grounds for forming its working hypotheses. Studying the history of foreign trade, labor migration, participation in international monetary relations, international cooperation of production and the relationship of structural changes in the economy with the forms of international economic relations are the main fields of the investigation. Historical research is the basis for making proposals on optimization of the national foreign economic policy with the purpose of strengthening the economic sovereignty of the state, development of the national economy and ensuring its international competitiveness.


2021 ◽  
pp. 103-120
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Golik

In the following text I will analyse the selected aspects of economic relations between Poland, Germany and China. I am going to compare elements of discourse with political actions and, above all, with economic realities. Clearly in economic terms, Chinese direction is not an alternative to Germany for Poland, but it may become a necessity in terms of diversification of international economic relations. Particularly in the context of forthcoming electromobility revolution, the crisis could affect the German automobile industry, spilling over into other sectors related to Poland’s export. In the medium term, economic processes are likely to be loosely linked to political processes. Poland's interests in the international arena are more related to political integration with Germany than to a strong rapprochement with China. However, the former are unlikely to support Poland's emancipation in independent economic and trade policy. This may result in a two-pronged approach (separation of economic policies from political relations) to relations between the two countries. 


Author(s):  
Uliya STAVSKA

The article deals with the problems of realization and improvement of Ukraine's foreign economic policy in the conditions of globalization. The economic revival and self-determination of Ukraine, which are inextricably linked with its entry into the modern world economy, with the search for its place in the processes of globalization, are investigated. The global tendencies of formation of the modern market economy, which characterize a new type of economic systems of the XXI century, which develop on a market basis while regulating the economic life of society by the state and maintaining the social stability of society, are found out. The problems of Ukraine's integration into the world economy have been identified. It is determined that the modern national economy is not simply included in the system of world relations, but is its active equal subject. The country's global competitiveness index and its rating have been formed. The influence of globalization on the shaping of Ukraine's foreign economic policy is analyzed. It is proved that the choice of the model of development of the Ukrainian national-state economic system is caused not only by internal but also by external factors. Recommendations have been made to improve Ukraine's position on the world stage. The models of export-oriented or import-oriented production, which are determined by the goals of the foreign economic policy of the state, are considered. The examples of creation of production and investment model of economic relations at the enterprises of Ukraine are given. Proposals for improvement of Ukraine's foreign economic policy have been elaborated, aimed at creating favorable conditions for regulating economic relations, which provide competitive advantages and attracting foreign investments in the conditions of globalization. Approaches have been established that determine the priorities of the country's foreign economic policy making, the strategy and tactics of which are determined by the socio-economic features of a particular country's development.


1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Beeson

This paper argues that despite the internationalisation of economic activity, and a concomitant diminution of economic policy-making autonomy, national policy settings continue to display a surprising degree of divergence and remain important determinants of economic outcomes. Similarly, there are distinctively different and enduring patterns of corporate organisation across nations which confer specific competitive advantages. Important theoretical and practical questions are raised, therefore, about the potential efficacy of national economic policies and their capacity to accommodate such divergent practices. This paper examines the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan, and assesses the effectiveness of Australia's predominantly neoliberal economic policy framework in the light of such national and organisational variation. It will be suggested that Australian policy-makers' faith in market mechanisms caused them to underestimate the significance of Japanese commercial practices and regional production strategies, rendering attempts to transform the relationship largely unsuccessful.


Author(s):  
David H. Bearce

This chapter provides an overview of foreign economic policy. First, it defines the subject as it relates to the discipline of Political Science in order to demonstrate how this discipline’s research on foreign economic policy is problem-centered and what problem is its focus: explaining the variation in policy related to trade, external investment, capital, exchange rates, and immigration. Second, it reviews two major research programs related to this problem: the state-level variation based on political regime type and the individual-level preference variation for different foreign economic policies. Third, this chapter highlights the obstacle to connecting these two research programs: how to explain outcomes at the state-level based on preferences at the individual-level.


Author(s):  
Leif Lewin ◽  
Johannes Lindvall

This chapter analyzes the development of Swedish economic policy from the early 1920s to the present. The chapter has three objectives: to describe how Swedish economic policy-making has evolved over time, concentrating on a few especially important periods: the adoption of expansionary fiscal policies in the 1930s, the development of Sweden’s postwar economic model in the 1950s, the struggle to maintain full employment in the 1970s and 1980s, the financial crisis of the early 1990s, and Sweden’s response to worldwide recession in the 2000s. The second objective is to show if and when Swedish governments have pursued economic policies that set Sweden apart from other rich democracies; and the third is to examine a number of scholarly debates concerning how to explain some of the economic policy shifts that have occurred in Sweden since its transition to democracy in the 1910s.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 492-503
Author(s):  
David H Bearce ◽  
V Ximena Velasco-Guachalla

Abstract Political economy research shows that more democratic governments generally have more open trade policies with more flexible exchange rate regimes, yet political behavior theory argues that citizens do not think of foreign economic policy as salient and do not cast their votes considering such issues. This note investigates the puzzle about how democracies could have different foreign economic policies than autocracies if citizens do not vote based on these international issues. Using a political model with two possible ways for societal actors to influence state policy (electoral and/or special interest pressure), it first considers how voting based on salient domestic outcomes like inflation and unemployment may lead democratic governments towards more open trade and flexible exchange rates. Second, if more societal groups are able to lobby as special interests in more democratic regimes, then governments may also be pushed toward these same foreign economic policies. Thus, there is no fundamental contradiction between the political economy empirical results and the political behavior theory, although scholars need to adjust their theories to explain foreign economic policy differences across political regime type.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document