Go to search · Go to content · Go to Accessibility help
Logo Detail / Dossiers / ISN
 
Logo ETH Zürich
Logo ETH Zürich
Slogan: Managing Information - sharing knowledge

The International Economic and Financial System: Past, Present and Future

Stacked dollar bills, courtesy of roberthuffstutter/flickr
Creative Commons - Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic Creative Commons - Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic

Packages of 100 US dollar bills

Our analysis of the factors driving change throughout the international system would be incomplete if we did not consider global trade and finance. While politicians and the public are preoccupied with economic crises, the ISN looks at the past of the international economic and financial system in order to understand the present and speculate about the future. From our analysis, two phenomena stand out: globalization and financialization.

We begin our inquiry with an examination of the history of global trade and the evolution of the current financial system. Our mid-week podcasts focus upon proposed changes to the international trade and financial regimes. Donna Lee of the University of Birmingham discusses the Doha Round of trade negotiations and potential alternatives. UNCTAD's Heiner Flassbeck considers reform of the international monetary system and multilateral institutions. Our analysis concludes with an examination of global financial crises, and in particular the current crisis.

Cargo ship on seaport, courtesy of akpt/flickr

World Trade and Globalization: The Past 200 Years

30 Jan 2012 / Special Feature

We begin our analysis of the international economic and financial system by examining the history of world trade. In particular, we will compare how patterns of trade are described and explained in "Trade Globalization Since 1795," by Chase-Dunn, Kawano and Brewers, and in the "World Trade Report 2008: Trade in a Globalizing World. More on «World Trade and Globalization: The Past 200 Years»

Board room of the NY Stock Exchange in 1930, courtesy of Foxtongue/flickr

The Past and Present of International Finance

31 Jan 2012 / Special Feature

In this feature we trace the historical development of international finance from the Gold Standard to the post-Bretton Woods era. Our analysis charts the evolving disjunction between capital movement and trade and considers whether the Eurozone offers an effective solution to this phenomenon. More on «The Past and Present of International Finance»

Portrait of Donna Lee

World Trade: What Comes After Doha?

01 Feb 2012 / Audio

In this podcast, Donna Lee, Professor in International Organisations and Diplomacy at the University of Birmingham, considers the future of the international trade regime in light of the deadlock in the Doha Round of trade negotiations. More on «World Trade: What Comes After Doha?»

Portrait of Heiner Flassbeck, copyright Heiner Flassbeck

The Future of the International Financial System: More of the Same?

02 Feb 2012 / Audio

Politicians lack the will to reform a deficient international financial system, says Dr Heiner Flassbeck, Director at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In this podcast, we identify the problems, discuss solutions and assess the likelihood for change in the international financial system. More on «The Future of the International Financial System: More of the Same?»

Bear and bull markets, courtesy of Udo Kempen/flickr

Seismic Shifts or More of the Same? The Impacts of Global Economic and Financial Crises

03 Feb 2012 / Special Feature

In this feature we examine the impact of economic crises on global political and economic relations. Will the West fall behind emerging powers as a result of the current 'contained depression?' More on «Seismic Shifts or More of the Same? The Impacts of Global Economic and Financial Crises»

Additional Content

Related Content