International Political Economy: Interests and Institutions in the Global Economy

The book was in great condition and arrived only in a few days, which was ideal for since classes were starting!

First the book appears to be full of ideas without a touch of reality or just theoretical, but after reading the first and second chapter and after understanding the principles of econ 101/102, everything will make sense. There is so much to learn in this book and, the good thing, it is not boring. I have to say that it was the best political econ book I've ever read, and I do recommend it for beginners.

Oatley provides a readable, non-mathematical description of international economics since World War 2. The book will give the reader a good grounding in understanding globalisation. Not as something to be feared or tamed, but as arising from fundamental trends that are effectively impossible to reverse. Oatley certainly talks about more than just globalisation. Like managing exchange rates. But even here, it is discussed in the context and reality of a world where immense pools of capital are often highly mobile. This is not typically thought of by the general public as globalisation. But the text shows that capital flow across national boundaries is indeed another aspect of globalisation, that has become common in the last 20 years.

Oatley has a way of boiling down complex concepts into short, pithy chapters. The writing is clear and concise and the examples used in the text provide interesting perspectives on current political issues such as the US budget deficit or the power dynamics in debt negotiations between powerful international creditors (IMF, World Bank) and debtor countries. The chapters are well structured--with introductions and conclusions that really help draw out the key points of the chapter. I found that this book provided coherent theories with which I could better understand material from other political science and economics classes. Overall, I highly recommend it.

Thomas Oatley has written a brilliant historic piece of literature. He uses great examples to explain difficult concepts and leaves you with a comprehensive understanding of the topic. I found this book to be paramount in my undestanding of today's current debates on the US Trade Policy, our deficit, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Political Economics, Economics, or just wants to learn about our economic and trade policy 5 Stars: Great Job!