INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMYECONOMY

IR 2502IR 2502

POLITICS AND IRPOLITICS AND IR

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEENUNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

• COURSE OVERVIEWCOURSE OVERVIEW

• COURSE CONTENTCOURSE CONTENT

• REQUIREMENTSREQUIREMENTS

• 22NDND YEAR REQUIRED COURSE FOR IR YEAR REQUIRED COURSE FOR IR

• Core curriculum in IRCore curriculum in IR

• Content fills gap in curriculumContent fills gap in curriculum

• IR – security, diplomacy, culture-IR – security, diplomacy, culture-identity, political economyidentity, political economy

• Critical turn – post-Westphalia, Critical turn – post-Westphalia, globalizationglobalization

WELATH, POVERTY, POWERWELATH, POVERTY, POWER

POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL ECONOMY POWER WEALTH POWER WEALTH

Theories of Political Theories of Political EconomyEconomy• Who were the classical political economists? Adam Who were the classical political economists? Adam

Smith, James Steuart, Scottish EnlightenmentSmith, James Steuart, Scottish Enlightenment• Karl MarxKarl Marx• Neo-classical (only market, not state)Neo-classical (only market, not state)• New InstitutionalistsNew Institutionalists• What makes a society wealthy? Land, money, What makes a society wealthy? Land, money,

labor?labor?• What is wealth for? (Smith - social good)What is wealth for? (Smith - social good)• How are/should states and markets be boundedHow are/should states and markets be bounded

– States or markets provide Health care? Education? States or markets provide Health care? Education? Welfare? Welfare?

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTHISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Evolution of World EconomyEvolution of World Economy– Feudalism/capitalism; colonialismFeudalism/capitalism; colonialism

• History History • SystemSystem• StructureStructure

– International Trade, Finance, Division of LabourInternational Trade, Finance, Division of Labour International Economic Organizations (IMF, WB, International Economic Organizations (IMF, WB,

WTO)WTO)GlobalizationGlobalizationGender, EnvironmentGender, Environment

• Global distribution of wealth/povertyGlobal distribution of wealth/poverty50% of world’s population lives on less 50% of world’s population lives on less than $2 per day than $2 per day extreme poverty 1.1 billion on less than extreme poverty 1.1 billion on less than $1 per day$1 per day

Disease – WHO 90% of global disease in low Disease – WHO 90% of global disease in low and middle income countries but get only and middle income countries but get only 11% of health care spending11% of health care spending

Civil conflict/war – more likely in poor Civil conflict/war – more likely in poor countriescountries

• UN 2000 report World Institute for UN 2000 report World Institute for Development Economics Research Development Economics Research

• Top 1% of world’s adult population Top 1% of world’s adult population owns 40% of world’s wealthowns 40% of world’s wealth

• Top 2% owns 50% of global wealthTop 2% owns 50% of global wealth

• Top 10% owns 85% of global wealthTop 10% owns 85% of global wealth

• Gap between rich and poor growingGap between rich and poor growing

CAUSES/EXPLANATIONSCAUSES/EXPLANATIONS

• Causes/explanations of global Causes/explanations of global distribution of wealth and povertydistribution of wealth and poverty

history? (colonialism)history? (colonialism)culture? (work-ethic, religion)culture? (work-ethic, religion)policies? (state/market)policies? (state/market)politics? (power)politics? (power)structures (rules, regimes, structures (rules, regimes,

international international economic economic organizations)organizations)

Solutions?Solutions?

• Aid/Charity?Aid/Charity?

• Global Civil Society? (Make Poverty History)Global Civil Society? (Make Poverty History)

• Individual empowerment? Micro-credit Individual empowerment? Micro-credit (Grameen Bank – Mohammed Yunus Nobel (Grameen Bank – Mohammed Yunus Nobel Prize)Prize)

• Rules of the Game? Prices of goods in Rules of the Game? Prices of goods in international trade, intellectual property international trade, intellectual property rights? TRIPSrights? TRIPS

• TaxationTaxation

• Books:Books:

• Robert O’Brien and Marc Williams Robert O’Brien and Marc Williams (2007) (2007) Global Political Economy: Global Political Economy: Evolution and DynamicsEvolution and Dynamics Palgrave Palgrave Macmillan.Macmillan.

• John Ravenhill (ed. ) (2008) John Ravenhill (ed. ) (2008) Global Global Political EconomyPolitical Economy second edition, second edition, Oxford, 2008.Oxford, 2008.

• Essay - 40% of gradeEssay - 40% of grade

• Exam 60% - of grade Exam 60% - of grade

• Library Skills –database searchLibrary Skills –database search•ScopusScopus

• JSTOR (full text articles)JSTOR (full text articles)