Political Science Economic Policy
Political Economy of Canada
An Introduction
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Initial publish date
- May 1999
- Category
- Economic Policy
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780195413489
- Publish Date
- May 1999
- List Price
- $149.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Debates on the role of the state and the viability of Canadian economic development are especially intense during periods of change, such as the contemporary era of globalization. In this completely revised, updated, and enlarged second edition of The Political Economy of Canada Professors Howlett, Netherton, and Ramesh outline the principal structural elements of the Canadian political economy and describe the importance of such factors as resources, social class, and international trade. The authors stress the significance of political institutions at the national, international, and subnational levels that substantially affect the production and distribution of wealth.
Three chapters consider the strengths and weaknesses of major approaches to Canada's political economy, the liberal and socialist theories as well as the staples approach pioneered by Harold Innis. Subsequent chapters explore the structure and organization of, and the interrelationships between, the state, labour, and capital in Canada, and show how their fragmented and decentralized nature limits the capacity of governments to 'manage' a globalized economy. The book outlines the history of the domestic political economy and examines how Canada is linked to the international political economy through the World Trade Organization and NAFTA. Particular attention is devoted to the constraints imposed on the Canadian state by a market-oriented, resource-exporting economy and by growing reliance on US trade.
The final chapters examine monetary and fiscal management and industrial policy, demonstrating how these policy arenas are shaped by ideology, new globalizing and regionalizing constraints, and the (dis)organization of the major policy actors.
About the authors
Laurent Dobuzinskis, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Simon Fraser University has two different research and teaching interests: the history of political and economic thought, political economy (rational choice), and the philosophy of the social sciences; and public policy analysis. Michael Howlett is Burnaby Mountain Chair in the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University, specializing in public policy analysis, political economy, and resource and environmental policy.