Phoenix Risen: The Resurrection of Global Finance

TLDR

The resurrection of global finance has been one of the most dramatic post‑World War II economic changes, yet reviews of recent literature reveal diverse views on its causes and consequences, indicating a need for further study. The study aims to reexamine competing historical interpretations of financial globalization, systematically analyze its macro‑ and micro‑level policy impacts, and assess implications for the prevailing paradigm in international political economy and international relations.

Abstract

Of all the many changes of the world economy since World War II, few have been nearly so dramatic as the resurrection of global finance. A review of five recent books suggests considerable diversity of opinion concerning both the causes and the consequences of financial globalization, leaving much room for further research. Competing historical interpretations, stressing the contrasting roles of market forces and government policies, need to be reexamined for dynamic linkages among the variables they identify. Likewise, impacts on state policy at both the macro and micro levels should be explored more systematically to understand not just whether constraints may be imposed on governments but also how and under what conditions, and what policymakers can do about them. Finally, questions are also raised about implications for the underlying paradigm conventionally used for the study of international political economy and international relations more generally.