France was interwar Poland’s main ally, and the biggest source of the country’s foreign investment. The two roles were closely connected: Paris used its position in Warsaw to win preferential treatment for its firms, while Polish authorities depended on France to finance their modernization policies and military spending. The relationship’s asymmetric character bred conflict, and in the 1930s dissenting voices compared French actions in Poland to imperialism and colonial expansion. This book untangles the complex mix of economics, policy, and politics in Franco-Polish relations. Based on government and company-level sources, it evaluates the part played by French capital in Poland and discovers the mechanisms ruling French FDI and public loans. Exploring case studies of specific sectors and themes, it asks questions about the modernizing potential of FDI, interwar economic imperialism, the workings of asymmetric investment, and the interactions between investments and politics. Understanding the unequal footing of Warsaw and Paris, it goes beyond imperialistic interpretations, and examines the leeway available to the weaker partner of the relationship. The book contributes to economic history of Central and Eastern Europe, and, more generally, to our understanding of the position of peripheral countries in the interwar global system.

This unique volume offers a definitive new history of European economies at war from 1914 to 1918. It studies how European economies mobilised for war, how existing economic institutions stood up under the strain, how economic development influenced outcomes and how wartime experience influenced post-war economic growth. Leading international experts provide the first systematic comparison of economies at war between 1914 and 1918 based on the best available data for Britain, Germany, France, Russia, the USA, Italy, Turkey, Austria-Hungary and the Netherlands. The editors' overview draws some stark lessons about the role of economic development, the importance of markets and the damage done by nationalism and protectionism. A companion volume to the acclaimed The Economics of World War II, this is a major contribution to our understanding of total war.

Mira Wilkins, the foremost authority on foreign investment in the United States, continues her magisterial history in a work covering the critical years 1914-1945. Wilkins includes all long-term inward foreign investments, both portfolio (by individuals and institutions) and direct (by multinationals), across such enterprises as chemicals and pharmaceuticals, textiles, insurance, banks and mortgage providers, other service sector companies, and mining and oil industries. She traces the complex course of inward investments, presents the experiences of the investors, and examines the political and economic conditions, particularly the range of public policies, that affected foreign investments. She also offers valuable discussions on the intricate cross-investments of inward and outward involvements and the legal precedents that had long-term consequences on foreign investment. At the start of World War I, the United States was a debtor nation. By the end of World War II, it was a creditor nation with the strongest economy in the world. Integrating economic, business, technological, legal, and diplomatic history, this comprehensive study is essential to understanding the internationalization of the American economy, as well as broader global trends.

Using cross-sectional time series data and four cases, Simmons offers a profile of the domestic politics and institutions associated with capital flight, current account deficit, currency devaluation, and tariff protection - all of which were inconsistent with the demands of remaining on gold. She demonstrates that capital flight and current account deficits stemmed largely from governmental failure to develop credible anti-inflationary policies.

Featuring carefully edited contributions from an impressive line-up of international scholars, Global Political Economy, Third Edition, is an authoritative introduction that combines coverage of history and theoretical approaches with contemporary issues and debates. The expert contributors offer a diverse range of perspectives and insights into the relevance of global political economy within international relations. Fully up-to-date, the third edition features substantially revised chapters that reflect the latest developments in global political economy, particularly the events and outcomes of the 2008 financial crisis. The text is enhanced by pedagogical features and a two-color design. A Companion Website offers resources for students (a flashcard glossary, a timeline, and links) and instructors (PowerPoint-based slides, case studies, and figures and tables from the book).

This text is widely acknowledged to be the best available introduction to the study of the international economy as a mechanism for diffusing modern economic growth between nations. Updating the story to the present day, this edition covers the latest developments in international economics. Significant new additions include: * globalization and the world economy * the growth of regional trading blocs * globalization and financial crisis in Asia * transition to the market in post-communist economies Packed with new references and data, The Growth of the International Economy is an indispensable guide to the world economy as it enters the new millennium.