International Economic Structures and American Foreign Economic Policy, 1887–1934

American foreign economic policy between 1887 and 1934 was shaped in important ways by the international economic structure and the position of the United States as a “supporter” within it. As Britain's hegemony declined, and particularly after it joined the United States as a supporter just prior to World War I, American foreign economic policy became more liberal and active. Once Britain was transformed from a supporter into a spoiler in the late 1920s, leaving the United States as the sole supporter within the IES, both the international economy and American policy became more unstable and protectionist. During the 1970s, the United States, West Germany, and France all emerged as supporters within the IES, indicating that a moderately stable and liberal international economy may continue to exist in the future.

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The United States and the Reconstruction of Germany in the 1920s

The Business History Review ◽

10.2307/3113137 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 477-502 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Frank Costigliola

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Economic Policy ◽

Foreign Policy ◽

World War I ◽

The United States ◽

Economic Recovery ◽

World War ◽

Private Business ◽

Foreign Economic Policy ◽

Capital Goods

The foreign economic policy of the United States in the aftermath of World War I was not isolationist, but selectively interventionist. With a group of very able American businessmen-diplomats in the lead, the nation pressured the French to accept the Dawes Plan, which, it was hoped, would solve the reparations problem, encourage healthy economic recovery and growth (which would embrace large sales of American capital goods to Germany), and ensure peaceful contentment in two nations that were more bitter enemies than ever. But, Professor Costigliola shows, a plan to rebuild Germany that was half private business and half foreign policy, and that was manipulated to both ends, could not succeed in the marketplace, where it had to live or die.

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Political Factors in U. S. International Financial Cooperation, 1945–1950

American Political Science Review ◽

10.2307/1952032 ◽

1953 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 431-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jack N. Behrman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

International Economic ◽

World War Ii ◽

World War I ◽

Regional Cooperation ◽

The United States ◽

Primary Objective ◽

World War ◽

Political Factors ◽

Financial Cooperation

International cooperation through multilateral organizations sharply distinguishes the post-World War II economic policies of the United States from those it employed following World War I. After World War I, the United States eschewed any form of international economic organization, which some governments thought should be continued; early in the more recent conflict, United States officials pressed hard for the acceptance of world-wide institutional cooperation. The purpose of the present article is to review, through an examination of its policy toward multilateral financial arrangements, some of the important discussions and decisions which moved the United States towards internationalism in economic relations; to emphasize the role of political factors in the development of financial organizations, in the retreat from international “democracy,” and in the growth of regional cooperation; and to examine some of the difficulties of international financial cooperation.A primary objective of the United States government's postwar policy preparations was the re-creation of a method of conducting international economic transactions which would not result in economic warfare; the major technique was that of international agreement on accepted rules for conducting transactions. Government officials considered that this approach was not only desirable but also possible, in view of the success of wartime collaboration.

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Sectoral conflict and foreign economic policy, 1914–1940

International Organization ◽

10.1017/s002081830000713x ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 59-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Jeff Frieden

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

International Economic ◽

Foreign Policy ◽

World War I ◽

Western Europe ◽

The United States ◽

World Politics ◽

Modern World ◽

Foreign Economic Policy ◽

History Of

The period from 1914 to 1940 is one of the most crucial and enigmatic in modern world history, and in the history of modern U.S. foreign policy. World War I catapulted the United States into international economic and political leadership, yet in the aftermath of the war, despite grandiose Wilsonian plans, the United States quickly lapsed into relative disregard for events abroad: it did not join the League of Nations, disavowed responsibility for European reconstruction, would not participate openly in many international economic conferences, and restored high levels of tariff protection for the domestic market. Only in the late 1930s and 1940s, after twenty years of bitter battles over foreign policy, did the United States move to center stage of world politics and economics: it built the United Nations and a string of regional alliances, underwrote the rebuilding of Western Europe, almost single-handedly constructed a global monetary and financial system, and led the world in commercial liberalization.

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Subsidy Policies for Production Automation

Comparative Political Studies ◽

10.1177/0010414087020002004 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 192-228

Author(s):

ROB van TULDER

Keyword(s):

Economic Policy ◽

Industrial Structure ◽

Technological Development ◽

Economic Structure ◽

The United States ◽

West Germany ◽

International Economy ◽

Economic Policies ◽

Computer Aided ◽

Production Automation

In the increasingly competitive international economy, a country's economic policy is increasingly apt to be modelled on that of its most successful competitor. This article examines the United States, Japan, France, and West Germany to see whether and under what circumstances their economic policies, industrial structure, and technological positions are converging or diverging. In this special attention is paid to strategies concerning computer-aided production automation. In previous decades states used to choose whether or not to adopt a liberal or mercantilist policy according to their level of technological development. However, since the restructuring race began in the 1970s there has been more attention paid to the question of how a country's overall economic structure compares with that of its competitors. In fact, the typologies used to differentiate between liberalism and mercantilism may have to be revised as the pressures for policy convergence prompt countries to recoalesce into new alliances.

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Explaining Foreign Economic Policy: A Comparison of U.S and West German Export Controls

Journal of Public Policy ◽

10.1017/s0143814x00005845 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 299-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Claus Hofhansel

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Economic Policy ◽

The United States ◽

German Export ◽

Political Support ◽

West Germany ◽

Export Control ◽

Export Controls ◽

Foreign Economic Policy ◽

Control Policies

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes differences between United States and West German export controls. It shows that United States controls are more extensive and stricter than controls in West Germany. Three possible explanations for this variation in policy are considered. First, these two states differ in regard to their positions in the international system and in their choice of economic strategies. Second, the extent of domestic political support for strict export control policies varies between the two countries. Finally, West Germany lacks the institutional framework to adequately control its foreign trade. The evidence presented corroborates the first two alternatives, while institutional explanations receive relatively little support. The article then discusses the historical development of United States and West German export control policies and institutions. The analysis shows evidence of both change and stability. More specifically, the article questions the argument that institutions in foreign economic policy, once established, persist and resist change, instead of adapting to environmental changes. Several hypotheses are considered to explain why in the area of export controls changes in policy, and to some extent institutions, occurred more frequently in West Germany than in the United States.

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