World Economic Issues at the United Nations: Half a Century of Debate

Front Cover
Springer Science & Business Media, 2002 - 300 pages
World Economic Issues at the United Nations: Half a Century of Debate attempts an objective analysis of the discussions in the policy forums of the United Nations on the major issues in the world economy over the past half a century. The book opens with a brief survey of the world economy since the Second World War. The following chapter presents a bird's-eye view of the issues discussed as well as a perspective on each of the issues. Starting with the issues of growth and stability in industrial countries, the study goes on to present discussions on the evolving issues of development of less developed countries. The volume devotes a substantial chapter on the efforts at establishment of the new international economic order. The more mundane matters of food needs of developing countries and their pervasive poverty are not lost sight of. Discussions on other major issues of interest and concern to developing countries, such as those of primary commodities, and the crisis of external debt, as well as issues of international trade, occupy a substantial space in the study. Two short chapters dwell on debates relating to transnational corporations and the international monetary system, especially as they concerned developing countries. The book concludes with a substantial chapter on resources, environment and sustainable development, a subject of growing importance at the United Nations. A principal justification of the study is that these discussions and debates constituted a major body of thinking on the world economy that is worth surveying. A central aim is to follow the evolving ideas over time in each field, to describe not only what was debated but how, and in the process it throws light on the nature and limits of international economic cooperation. An all important question underlies an investigation of this nature. Many of those who were engaged in the half century of debate sought to change the world economy, some by only tinkering with it, others by radical reform. Has anything changed as a result? One would like to ponder, even though the answer may not be all that clear. The present study is offered as a modest contribution to any examination of the past achievements and future roles of the organization.

From inside the book

Selected pages

Contents

The World Economy Since The Second World War
1
A Plethora Of Issues
23
Stability And Growth in Industrial Economies
35
Economic Development of Developing Countries
43
Food Needs of Developing Countries
77
Poverty in Developing Countries
93
International Development Strategies and Cooperation for Development
107
The Quest for a New International Economic Order
145
Transnational Corporations and Developing Countries
203
Commodity Problems
211
External Debt Crisis of Developing Countries
221
The International Monetary System
243
Resources Environment and Sustainable Development
255
NOTES
281
Index
293
Copyright

International Trade
185

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Bibliographic information