The Retreat of the State

Who is really in charge of the world economy? Not only governments, argues Susan Strange in The Retreat of the State. Big businesses, drug barons, insurers, accountants and international bureaucrats all encroach on the so-called sovereignty of the state. Professor Strange examines the implications of this rivalry and points to some new directions for research in international relations, international business and economics.

Part I. Theoretical Foundations: 1. The declining authority of the state; 2. Patterns of power; 3. The limits of politics; 4. Politics and production; 5. The state of the state; Part II. Some Empirical Evidence: 6. Authority beyond the state; 7. Telecoms - the control of communication; 8. Organised crime - the Mafias; 9. Insurance business - the risk managers; 10. The Big Six accountants; 11. Cartels and private protectionism; 12. International organisations - the econocrats; Part III. Conclusions: 13. Pinocchio's problem and other conclusions.