Why is there increased attention to the international political economy? Money truly is what makes the world go around. The climate today is one of increased wariness regarding the future. We look at the economy as a fragile entity that needs constant tinkering through rate increases and decreases from the Federal Reserve. Trade deficits and surpluses are managed through constant statecraft and diplomacy, through the establishment of free trade zones and economic unions, tariffs, and em...

In you conversations thus far, you guys have not honed in on some key assumptions about Classical Realists and the questions have not prompted to a great extent to confront some issues. Thus, I am going to lay them out. Realists assume that the state is and will always be the principal actors in global affairs. True? They assume that decision-makers are rational and capable of defining national interests. True? They assume that decision-makers will "do whatever is necessary" to protect...

Another great oversight in the supposedly democratic, fair, and even-handed liberal free trade environment is the IMF voting procedure. The IMF has doled out its voting privileges to each participant nation based on its donations to the IMF. Unlike a democratic system in which each member country would have an equal vote, rich countries dominate decision-making in the IMF because voting power is determined by the amount of money that each country pays in...

Can markets really be "moral?" Can they function with morals or must ethics be imposed from outside? Discuss.

I have never heard of this tool of the left, Howard Zinn, but from what I read today I am glad that I never have. This guy advocates the "drastic reallocation of wealth" (aka revolution)... but I'll let you read it for yourself. The theme of the World Social Forum, which is held annually, is "Another World Is Possible." If you were to close your eyes for a moment, what kind of world might you envision? The world that I envision is one in which national boundaries no longer exist, ...

In your opinion, who wields more domestic pressure on the international policy of a nation? It always depends on the issue, as far as I can see. If it is a globalization-related labor issue, expect the labor unions and multi-national corporations to get involved. If it is military-related, like an arms treaty or the missile defense shield, expect the defense industry to have an opinion. For example, the multi-national Wal*Mart has a lot to do with the fight against flotation of the C...

If by 2050 the Chinese and European economies are indeed larger than America’s, then this is no need for concern. The United States (US) has been the recipient of decades of economic supremacy, as it escaped World War II (WWII) with its economy largely intact. This was in opposition to Europe, whose land saw lots of fighting -- the economies of the nations of Europe suffered for it. Half of Europe was under the yoke of Communism. The destruction of Western Europe’s infrastructure took dec...

It's incredible that there are doomsayers in the world and in the ranks of JoeUser. Because according to US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, "This is far and away the strongest global economy I've seen in my business lifetime." The global economy is humming along with unprecedented speed and power. The BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) are financially healthy and strong -- global companies like GE and Microsoft expect international growth to outpace domestic by almost 2 to 1:...

According to the National Intelligence Council 2020 Mapping the Global Future report, what are the major changes that may occur in the international landscape—and who might the major players and states be? The overarching challenge for the next 14 years is globalization. Humanity must use it to its fullest potential; through globalization, humanity's lot will be permanently improved. The countries best positioned to benefit from globalization are Brazil, Russia, India, and China. ...

A fellow student in my Master's program recently said, >> I see the U.S. losing ground on other fronts as well: academics, employment, technology, healthcare, just to name a few. And to that I say hooray! Globalization is the best way to bring Third-World nations up to our standard of living. It's about time India, China, and Eastern Europe were given the opportunity to work themselves out of their nations' despondency. To take India as a specific example, soon high-tech workers ...