Economic-union Books

In his book, Rethinking Europe�s Future, David P. Calleo encapsulates the history, theory, and reasoning behind Europe�s struggle for peaceful inter-state relations and presents new ideas for Europe�s future course. In three parts, encompassing sixteen chapters, he covers a wide variety of topics from economic theory, international relations theory, to history and the role of complex inter-dependence. Of note is his discourse on the past, present, and future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, and the European Union�s (EU�s) quest for a Common Foreign and Security Policy, CFSP. Furthermore, his work is strongly supported by many past, and recent, historical case studies that impacted Europe�s course, and still linger in the minds of present day decision- makers.
Part 1, Europe�s Living History, covers the gambit of Europe�s violent history from the wars of Napoleon and German Unification, through World War I and II. In this part, Calleo outlines the multi-faceted causes of Europe�s most violent wars and relates them to economics, and to both the development and implementation of international-relations theory nested within economic theory. This is a truly remarkable feat, as well as a good review of both economic and basic international relations theory, as it is written in a manner that a novice could follow.
Part 2, Legacies of the Cold War, outlines, as the title implies, the interstate system that developed in the after-math of World War II, as well as explores the development of NATO and the role of Unites States (US) hegemony in both European and global affairs. To this end, the author discusses in detail the effects of bi-polar action, America vs. the Soviet Union, as well as the effects of globalization on both Europe and the world political economy. He then synthesizes these into a very coherent concluding chapter, Cold War Lessons, Old and New. Of note in this chapter, is Calleo�s discourse on Gaullist policy and decision-making, and the fact that in the present day EU, state sovereignty is stronger because of the Gaullist legacy.
Part 3, The New Europe, covers old, as well as new paradigms for the future Europe, as well as the role of the US and Russia within them. As with most contemporary authors, he asserts that not one paradigm, but multiple paradigms, must be applied to discern Europe�s future, as well as the future of NATO (in particular the US) and Russia in regards to both Europe and Asia. To this end, he asserts that Europe must make accord with both the US (NATO) and Russia, and that the US must redefine its involvement within European affairs, as well as with Russia and Asia. Furthermore, the EU, Russia, and the US must find some common policy in dealing with Asia (China, in particular) that encompasses both security and economic affairs.
In short, Rethinking Europe�s Future is a powerful book that synthesizes the writings of many scholars into a short and easily understandable work that is both nested and logically sequential, but clearly maintains the author�s own thoughts and ideas. However, it has a few shortcomings. First, the author covers the impact of a myriad of issues on Europe, the US, Russia, and China, but he neglects the global south- Africa, South America, and the poorer parts of Asia and the Middle-east. This is a significant shortcoming, as some of these regions hold significant natural resources and population bases that will have large global consequences in the near future if not properly addressed, and the disparity of economic wealth and political stability between North and South continues to grow. By not addressing this topic, it is as if Calleo is implying that this region of the globe is insignificant, or that perhaps the Northern Regions will once again embark on a quest of Empire building, as a bloc, within the global south as the northern and Asia markets become fully exploited or depleted. Perhaps, he is implying, by omission, another �Race for Africa� in the 21st Century.
Finally, while Calleo�s argument for the US to rethink its position in Europe (NATO) and with Russia, and for Europe to seek simultaneous accord with both Russia and NATO has significant merit, it is easier said than done. Balancing one major alliance is hard enough for a state, a confederation, or a federation, to accomplish. Balancing more than one, successfully, is a major challenge. Furthermore, the Asian tigers- China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, etc�- are not likely to stand idly by and allow themselves to be outmaneuvered economically or in the area of security, which Calleo takes great pains to illuminate, is strongly intermeshed with economic success. Therefore, while Calleo�s suggestion is great for Europe, Russia, and North America, it is not necessarily viable without further study into the impacts on Asia as a whole. Potentially, forcing Asian countries to ally with China, which has its own global agenda, has significant negative repercussions for the world as a whole.
In conclusion, Rethinking Europe�s Future is a good thought-provoking book for anyone in politics, the state department, or the military, that deals with European affairs. It synopsizes the salient historical, economic, and theoretical points involved with European statecraft, as well as the role of the US, although some areas need further study. Parts 1 and 2, in particular, are exceedingly well written and provide a good review of history and relevant theory. Calleo�s take on Gaullist policymaking is exceedingly interesting, as well as his review of mercantilism. It makes one wonder if mercantilism is not back in vogue, but with the added impetus of the forces of globalization. Thus, confirming Adam Smith�s worst fears of special interest, in guise of giant multinational corporations, meshed with government, possibly driving the world political economy from behind the scenes in the 21st Century.

Works Consulted

David P. Calleo, Rethinking Europe�s Future. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press, 2001.

The visit of Soviet Union in 1927-1930 as a special guest of Soviet Communist Party has completly changed the position of Panait Istrati. It is probably the first criticism from a socialist writer. This short documentary has brought upon him the strong attack lead by the French socialist leader Henry Barbusse. Nikos Kazantakis accompanied Istrati in the journey, but he kept his affiliation to communism, despite what they have seen. It took the civil war in Greece to force him to change his mind (see his novel: The Fratricids). Istrati's "Confesion for the defeats" as he named the book shows how the wishes and political aspiration can be changed by the common sense analysis of the reality of an attractive theory. He postulate that: "Any organization, of any kind serves in the first place the interests of the organizers, and later those of the organized". One of the great writers of the world remained not translated into English, however the french speakers can read his work to open the windows to the near East and Balkans, at the turn of the century.

The interesting aspect of Fortescue's book is how he manages to present the Russian oligarchs in a somewhat more favourable light. By now, the predominant view inside and outside Russia is that the oligarchs acquired their assets by virtually looting the new post-communist nation. When ownership and rules were extremely vague.

The book steps through the 90s, looking at the top companies ruled by the oligarchs. Like Yukos or Norilsk Nickel. The author describes numerous managerial decisions made, like centralising authority, or continuing to open or close mines. The mechanisms of transfer pricing are explained. Where often value was extracted from the companies and then moved overseas.

A key part of the book is how taxes are paid (or not) to the government. The minimisation of this was a major charge against them, in the eyes of the government.

The book does suggest that some of the oligarchs' actions were reasonable business decisions, in the context of their environments.

Paul Christensen has produced a smart and scholarly look at one of the key social groups in post-Soviet Russia -- the working class. While there have been a lot of books published in recent years that discuss the prospects for internal peace and economic growth in the former Soviet Union, Christensen's is one of only a tiny number to focus on the class that was supposed to benefit from the 1917 Revolution.

Honig writes a very organized book with a clear purpose and provides a good understanding of the multiple facets of the women in the cotton mills. Her book is good for someone who does not have much background knowledge about Chinese history or industrial culture. Yet it is also a worhtwhile read for someone who already has a background in Chinese history, as it provides valubale information about the Green Gang and Communist mobilization. Honig does a good job of examining how women from different backgrounds came to and fit into the Shanghai mill environment.

I purchased this book because I am currently in the process of writing a PhD thesis on Life Insurance Solvency Testing. This book provides summaries of past and present solvency legislation from a number of countries throughout the world; provides a brief description of several techniques which are used in a number of pieces of solvency legislation (such as value at risk calculations) and then presents a description of the proposed (at the time this book was published) EU Solvency II legislation.

For my purposes, I found this to be an excellent book. The descriptions of the various pieces of legislation were brief, and if you need to understand these legislation in any depth it will be necessary for you to seek out the actual documents on the internet (where they are all readily available to download). However, it is a lot easier to read a 30 page piece of legislation if you have already read a five page description of it. Also, although this book was written in the context of the EU legislation, I believe it is relevant to residents of any country in the world. I am an Australian, doing my thesis in the context of Australian legislation, and I still found this book to be of use.

Thus, if you need a good summary reference on solvency testing, then I recommend that you buy this book. Note that, if you are looking for a practical text book with problems and worked solutions, then this is not the book for you.

Well written, scholarly, and insightful, Dr. Waldrep documents the history and sociology of southern textile work. The book is a poignant glimpse into a bygone era and a significant record for anyone interested in the period.

For those who enjoy learning about the Soviet system, this is a good resource. The overview is good, all the key points are touched on, it is fairly unbiased (though it seemed a little bit to me as if it became more and more sympathetic towards socialism as it went on). Highlights include a brief introduction to input-output analysis in planning and a short investigation into sources of growth and productivity (national income per factor - capital, labor and combined).

As one of many sources, this is quite useful. The citations and bibliography are also very useful.

For the student of the Cold War, this book has a nice of essays analysing the Soviet economy from 1950 to 1987. The book was published in 1988, in what we now know to be the last days of the Soviet Union. Yet, if you want to know why it collapsed, some of the reasons are suggested here.

The span of Berliner's analyses seems quite prescient, from our hindsight. His first speculations in 1950 and 1952, point out the difficulties already encountered under Stalin, with the monetary policies of the overall economy and the management of the state-owned businesses. Early cracks in the facade.

Upon reading these, one cannot help but wonder what if the Soviets had proved more flexible. A loosening of the economic bonds might ultimately have given greater growth and thus kept the Communist Party in power to this day. As in China.

I highly recommend this to inquirers of the Former Soviet Unions economic system, its strengths and weaknesses, and because it was written before the collapse. Many writings after this debacle seem to have a tint of "it was inevitable". The reader will find it interesting that almost all the serious economic analysis in the decades prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union nowhere mention an "eminent collapse"..and on the other hand compare the future problems of the United States to that of the Soviet Union.