The Impact of European Integration or Confronting Development

The Impact of European Integration: Political, Sociological, and Economic Changes

Author: George A A Kourvetaris

Although there are many pamphlets and monographs that cover specific aspects of the European Community, the literature seems to lack a single, scholarly reader that gives a complete account of the many dimensions of European integration. This volume, written by a distinguished group of international specialists, seeks to fill this void by pulling together a broad collection of papers focusing on the political, sociological, and economic issues surrounding the European Union. Beginning with a historical look at the genesis, evolution, and theoretical interpretation of the historical process of European integration, the book goes on to analyze the socio-economic structure of the European community and the social forces operating within it. Students and scholars will find this a valuable, flexible, and versatile text for manifold courses in the social sciences; policymakers and general readers will find this a highly informative and readable evaluation of the current state of the European Union.

Booknews

Primarily addresses the political and sociological aspects of European integration and only secondarily the better studied economic aspects or the role of the European Union as an international organization; and considers institutional, sociocultural, constitutional, administrative, and security integration as well as economic and political. Among the 14 topics are the capitalist class, small-scale industry development, the agricultural strata, participation of immigrants, and organized interests. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Table of Contents:

	Tables
	Introduction	1
1	The Logic of European Integration	9
2	The Socioeconomic Structure of The European Union	39
3	The Capitalist Class in The European Union	55
4	Small-Scale Industry Development Controversies and The European Union	75
5	The Agricultural Strata in The European Union and The Common Agricultural Policy	97
6	Asking for the Moon: The Political Participation of Immigrants in The European Union	131
7	Attitudes Toward European Integration: Ethnic and Cultural Dimensions	151
8	Organized Interests in The European Union	169
9	The Nature of Political Parties in The European Union	201
10	The European Parliament	233
11	European Union and Local Government: The Challenges of Integration and Internationalization	253
12	Political European Integration: Integration Requisites	271
13	The Limits of The European Union: The Question of Enlargement	287
14	Return to Decadent Europe: Debating Europe's Security	299
	Annotated Bibliography	313
	Index	321
	About the Editors and Contributors	331

Book review: Chocolate Companion or Paris Bistro Cooking

Confronting Development: Assessing Mexico's Economic and Social Policy Challenges

Author: Kevin J Middlebrook

Since the 1980s, Mexico has alternately served as a model of structural economic reform and as a cautionary example of the limitations associated with market-led development. Because of the importance of the Mexican experience in continuing debates about options available to developing countries, the twenty-three contributors to this book provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary assessment of the principal economic and social policies adopted by Mexico during the 1980s and 1990s.

Mexico was a pioneer in the shift away from state-led industrialization and the adoption of market-oriented policies. As a consequence, Mexico emerged as Latin America’s largest exporter of manufactured goods, which provided the country’s most dynamic source of economic growth. Yet trade and investment expansion also significantly increased the Mexican economy’s vulnerability to external shocks. A profound financial crisis in 1994-95 deeply affected Mexico’s economic stability and rate of growth, and raised persistent questions about whether the country’s new economic model is capable of achieving sustained growth and equitable socioeconomic development.

The topics covered in the book are (1) macroeconomic and financial policies, including the impact of the adjustment process on growth, inflation, foreign and domestic debt burdens, the Mexican banking system, and foreign investment; (2) trade, export-led growth, and industrial policies, with attention to key actors and strategies behind the rapid expansion of Mexican manufactured exports and the limitations of this export-led growth model for national development; (3) social policies and rural developmentissues, focusing on education, health care, pensions, and problems affecting rural Mexico; and (4) poverty, inequality, and employment problems, notably income distribution and poverty trends, the efficacy of poverty-alleviation policies, urban and regional disparities, and the effects of economic liberalization on employment and wage levels. A final overview section analyzes the Mexican development experience of the 1980s and 1990s in historical and comparative context.