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Global commerce is rapidly organizing around regional trading blocs in North America, Western Europe, Pacific Asia, and elsewhere--with potentially dangerous consequences for the world trading system. Professor Kerry Chase examines how domestic politics has driven the emergence of these trading blocs, arguing that businesses today are more favorably inclined to global trade liberalization than in the past because recent regional trading arrangements have created opportunities to restructure manufacturing more efficiently. Trading Blocs is the first book to systematically demonstrate the theoretical significance of economies of scale in domestic pressure for trading blocs, and thereby build on a growing research agenda in areas of political economy and domestic politics."Chase has written a superb book that provides us with an innovative and compelling explanation for the development of trading blocs."--Vinod Aggarwal, Director, Berkeley APEC Study Center, University of California, BerkeleyKerry A. Chase is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Tufts University.
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Trading Blocs Michigan Studies in International Political Economy SERIES EDITORS: Edward Mansfield and Lisa Martin Michael J. Gilligan Empowering Exporters: Reciprocity, Delegation, and Collective Action in American Trade Policy Barry Eichengreen and Jeffry Frieden, Editors Forging an Integrated Europe Thomas H. Oatley Monetary Politics: Exchange Rate Cooperation in the European Union Robert Pahre Leading Questions: How Hegemony Affects the International Political Economy Andrew C. Sobel State Institutions, Private Incentives, Global Capital Roland Stephen Vehicle of Influence: Building a European Car Market William Bernhard Banking on Reform: Political Parties and Central Bank Independence in the Industrial Democracies William Roberts Clark Capitalism, Not Globalism: Capital Mobility, Central Bank Independence, and the Political Control of the Economy Edward D. Mansfield and Brian M. Pollins, Editors Economic Interdependence and International Conflict: New Perspectives on an Enduring Debate Kerry A. Chase Trading Blocs: States, Firms, and Regions in the World Economy Trading Blocs States, Firms, and Regions in the World Economy K E R RY A . C H A S E The University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor Copyright © by the University of Michigan 2005 All rights reserved Published in the United States of America by The University of Michigan Press Manufactured in the United States of America ⬁ Printed on acid-free paper 2008 2007 2006 2005 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Chase, Kerry A., 1969– Trading blocs : states, firms, and regions in the world economy / Kerry A. Chase. p. cm. — (Michigan studies in international political economy) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-472-09906-1 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-472-09906-X (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-472-06906-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-472-06906-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Trade blocs. 2. Trade blocs—History—20th century. I. Title. II. Series. HF1418.7.C53 2006 382'.9'0904—dc22 ISBN-13 978-0-472-02289-2 (electronic) 2005016620 For Steph and Ella Acknowledgments I have many people to thank and debts to acknowledge in the writing of this book. Above all I must single out Jeff Frieden for being an exceptional scholar, generous adviser, and true friend. Jeff has served as an indispensable source of s