How do politics and international economic law interact with each other? Financial crises and shifts in global economic patterns have refocused our attention on how the fingerprints of the visible hand can be seen all over the institutions that underpin the rules of globalization. From trade and investment to finance, governments are under pressure to enforce, resist, and re-write international economic law. Lawyers have seldom given enough attention to the influence of politics on law, whereas political scientists have had an on-again, off-again fascination with how the law influences relations among states. This book leads the way toward filling this interdisciplinary gap, through a series of important studies written by leaders in the field on specific problems in international economic relations. The book demonstrates a variety of ways in which the international political-economic nexus may be researched and understood.

Scholars and policymakers have long been interested in the relationship between international institutions, foreign trade, and interstate conflict. This timely volume presents the most important published articles that address these crucial issues. The articles are organized into three parts. The first part presents and evaluates the core theoretical arguments about the linkage between foreign economic relations and political-military hostilities. The second part addresses the origins of various international institutions designed to influence global commerce, how these institutions operate, and the extent to which they shape the flow and content of overseas trade. The final part analyzes how economic disputes are settled within the World Trade Organization.

In such areas as civil aircraft, semiconductors, high definition television, robotics, and superconductors, states are subsidizing their national champions and competing for market share in the "industries of tomorrow." This book explains why states intervene and (or) retaliate in some high technology industries, but not in others, and how these commercial rivalries are likely to unfold. Dr. Busch argues that states subsidize national champions in industries promising externalities for domestic industries, spend more on subsidies where these benefits do not escape national borders, and are more likely to bring these commercial rivalries back from the brink of a trade war where these subsidies leave both states worse off.

Commercial rivalries in high technology are among the most heated in today's global economy. From robotics to aerospace, states are subsidizing their national champions and competing for market share in the 'industries of tomorrow'. This book explains why states intervene and (or) retaliate in some high technology industries, but not in others, and how these commercial rivalries are likely to unfold. Dr Busch argues that states subsidize national champions in industries promising externalities for domestic industries, spend more on subsidies where these benefits do not escape national borders, and are more likely to bring these commercial rivalries back from the brink of a trade war where these subsidies leave both states worse off. This book is among the first to argue specifically about externalities and to evaluate how they have, or have not, shaped decisions for strategic trade in several of the most important commercial rivalries in high technology. Drawing on new and previously unreported documentation from governments, firms, industry associations and expert observers in Europe, Japan, and the US, Dr Busch sheds new light on the high technology industries of the civil aircraft, semiconductors, high-definition television, robotics and superconductors.

How do politics and international economic law interact with each other? Financial crises and shifts in global economic patterns have refocused our attention on how the fingerprints of the 'visible hand' can be seen all over the institutions that underpin the rules of globalization. From trade and investment to finance, governments are under pressure to enforce, resist and rewrite international economic law. Lawyers have seldom given enough attention to the influence of politics on law, whereas political scientists have had an on-again, off-again fascination with how the law influences relations among states. This book leads the way toward filling this interdisciplinary gap, through a series of important studies written by leaders in the field on specific problems in international economic relations. The book demonstrates a variety of ways in which the international political-economic nexus may be researched and understood.