The Transformation of The World Economy, 1980-93
Organized geographically, the book covers all the major rich countries, the former communist countries, China, and the major countries of Latin America and the Middle East. A useful review of the major thrusts and alterations in national economic policy and performance over a remarkable period from the 1980s to the early 1990s. The book provides little discussion of the international economy as a whole, including trade liberalization, the remarkable growth in international capital movements despite the debt crisis of the early 1980s, and the gradual shift by many countries to floating exchange rates. Sub-Saharan Africa warrants only a page, and Nigeria, the world's eighth-most populous state, gets no discussion at all.
Related
A new book by an eminent economist takes on globalization's critics, disarming them with logic and killing them with compassion.
The post-1945 free-trade regime is giving way to an emerging "market access" regime that is more flexible about border barriers, but more demanding about "fair competition" policies and about access for investment. In this new commercial environment, free trade and protectionism are proving to be a false dichotomy. As corporations globalize and create elaborate commercial partnerships, governments have to create a new global framework and tools for managing world commerce. In the market access regime, there will be roles for expanded industry codes, bilateral, minilateral and regional bargaining all coordinated by a reformed General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The order of the day will be multilateralism from the bottom up.
Image and reputation have become essential parts of a state's strategic capital. Like branded products, branded states depend on trust and customer satisfaction. And they are the harbingers of a postmodern politics based on style as much as substance.

Sign-up for free weekly updates from ForeignAffairs.com.