Summary of Conceptual Approaches to IPE

POLS 216 and POLS 324

 

Concept Mercantilist/Realist Liberal/Neoliberal Marxist World Systems/Dependencia
Basic Value Maximum growth in national economy Maximum growth in national and global economy Progression toward a classless society; end of exploitation Growth with equity
Distribution of Benefits Zero-sum: favoring powerful Positive sum Zero-sum: favoring wealthy variable sum
Amount of Inherent Conflict in System Large amount due to competition Minimal as states see value of cooperation Very large - recurrent crises. Dialectic nature of system Potentially large - hegemonic wars and other types of inter-states conflict; cycles and system changes; structural violence
Persistent Cleavages National conflict is foundation of system, thus cleavages exist if more than one state. None Rich vs. Poor Pulsations - systems expand, stagnate, change.
Obstacle to National Goals Not enough nat'l power relative to others Irrational state policies Capitalist dominance of domestic and global economies Existence of core/periphery/semiperiphery; cycles of rise and decline, war and peace.
Attitude Toward IOs Irrelevant or IOs as nat'l tools Facilitators of cooperation. Can establish and oversee rules and norms in system Provision of infrastructure for rich to oppress the poor Part of system whole
Main. Chars. of Economic Order Competition and pursuit of nat'l interest and power Sovereign and autonomous states with wide decision latitude. States involved in positive sum collaboration. Hierarchical - heirarchy of classes primary, but also dominant and dependent states. Whole is greater than sum of its parts.  Structure of system is main characteristic and constraint
Preferred Means of Resource Allocation Gov't control though values market if works to state advantage in system Free market State admin until capitalism completely dies, then socially equitable classless distribution w/o state. Dictated by structure of system - currently, and for several centuries, capitalist.  Actors operating within system constraints.
Relationship of Economics and Politics Politics drives economics Should be separated as much as possible Economics determines politics Interwoven - seamless web of forces and concepts.

Source: Adapted from Blake, David H. and Walters, Robert S. (1987) The Politics of Global Economic Relations, 3rd. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Adaptations and additions to this matrix were made by Mark A. Boyer and Robert A. Denemark.