http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/political-economy Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:22:35 -0400 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:22:35 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1794/the-impact-of-economic-complexity-on-productive-structure-and-income-inequality-in-indonesia-and-venezuela By Osama Siddiq - Recent work with the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) has shown that a country’s productive structure constrains its level of economic growth and income inequality. Building on previous research that identified an increasing gap between Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with that of China and other High Performing East Asian Economies (HPEA), this paper compares how the diverging productive structures of the Venezuelan and Indonesian economies have impacted the generation and distribution of income in each country. I use time-series regression analysis to show the impact of economic complexity... Wed, 09 Sep 2020 12:11 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1794/the-impact-of-economic-complexity-on-productive-structure-and-income-inequality-in-indonesia-and-venezuela http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1752/women-and-globalization-the-impact-of-increased-womens-economic-rights-on-globalization By Liam F. Kerr - Globalization is generally studied as a process that extensively impacts nations and peoples across every aspect of society. Empirical and theoretical research largely focuses on this effect, seeking to discover the impact of an increasingly globalized world on the rights and circumstances of historically disadvantaged peoples, particularly women. While research suggests a mixed verdict on the positive and negative results of globalization for women, there is generally a paucity of research on whether an increase in women’s economic rights might enhance globalization, measured by global... Tue, 15 Jan 2019 09:57 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1752/women-and-globalization-the-impact-of-increased-womens-economic-rights-on-globalization http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1721/the-changing-arena-of-power-contestation-between-the-state-and-chaebols-in-south-korea-democracy-and-the-ascent-of-legal-institutions By Tan A. Seng - The growth of the South Korean economy has often been attributed to the rise of Chaebols, or family owned businesses with wide-ranging conglomeratelike economic interests. The embeddedness of the Chaebol in Korea's political economy has allowed them to emerge as a major actor, with significant influence in the political arena – as a result of their role as stabilizers of the economy. This is a significant development, considering the relatively weaker position of the Chaebol vis-à-vis the state, under authoritarian rule. With democratization and their association with South Korea'... Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1721/the-changing-arena-of-power-contestation-between-the-state-and-chaebols-in-south-korea-democracy-and-the-ascent-of-legal-institutions http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1724/mnc-decision-making-under-sanctions-south-africa-and-rhodesia By Yuichiro Kakutani - By using an incentives/disincentives model to map the divergent behaviors of multinational corporations (MNCs) confronted by a sanctioned economy, I explain why some economic sanctions work better than others at achieving their desired political outcomes. When presented with the opportunity to "run the blockade," MNCs are incentivized to sanction bust by the allure of higher profit through rent extraction. At the same time, MNCs are disincentivized to sanction bust by the penalties for breaking the sanction, but only if MNCs believe sanction busting operations is inconspicuous enough to avoid... Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1724/mnc-decision-making-under-sanctions-south-africa-and-rhodesia http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1633/how-have-corruption-scandals-and-president-roussefs-impeachment-in-brazil-impacted-its-economy By Flvia Bedicks - In 2009, Brazil was in the path to become a superpower. Immune to the economic crises of 2008, the country's economy benefitted from the commodity boom, achieving a growth rate of 7.5 per cent in 2010, when Rousseff was elected. A few years later, nonetheless, Brazil's boom turned into an economic bust. In 2014, the largest corruption scandal in its history denounced the involvement of major politicians, including then-President Rousseff, in schemes of money laundering. In this essay, I analyze the impacts of such scandals and Rousseff's impeachment on the Brazilian economy. I argue that these... Sun, 30 Apr 2017 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1633/how-have-corruption-scandals-and-president-roussefs-impeachment-in-brazil-impacted-its-economy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1515/child-care-policy-and-female-labor-force-participation-a-comparison-of-germany-and-sweden By Analia Cuevas-Ferreras - Labor markets have traditionally been regarded as the product of a demand and supply of labor.2 In Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage, political economists Peter A. Hall and David Soskice put forth two types of economies whose variant organization and structures lead them to experience distinct hiring incentives, which can impact the configuration of a country's labor market leading to gendered hiring practices. On the one hand, there are Liberal Market Economies (LMEs), which are free market economies "characterized by a relatively decentralized system... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1515/child-care-policy-and-female-labor-force-participation-a-comparison-of-germany-and-sweden http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1356/defeating-apathy-and-alienation-in-scotland-true-victors-of-the-scottish-referendum By Shaun Docherty - The seeds of this rebellion were initially sewn during the 1980s when the incumbent Conservative Government began to impose its newly embraced neoliberal ideology in the UK, creating a legacy of mass unemployment and social upheaval still experienced today. These events were particularly poignant in Scotland, demonstrating to the nation how they were the victims of a democratic deficit: where although the unpopular Conservative Party were a minority in Scotland, they still possessed a mandate from Westminster to impose a new devastating political economic doctrine which few north of the border... Wed, 17 Feb 2016 02:26 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1356/defeating-apathy-and-alienation-in-scotland-true-victors-of-the-scottish-referendum http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1353/book-review-a-brief-history-of-neoliberalism-by-david-harvey-2005 By Florence Lee - Michael Thompson, reviewing A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey, calls it ‘the world according to David Harvey’ (2005). This is an accurate remark: although erring slightly on the side of conspiracy, the book is a breathtaking overview of the ‘neoliberal world’ through Harvey’s neo-Marxist and anti-capitalist lens. The book is aimed at the general reader and is a non-technical, concise introduction to many of the key features of neoliberal theory: the economic practices proposing that human wellbeing can be attained by reducing state intervention, promoting... Fri, 12 Feb 2016 03:11 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1353/book-review-a-brief-history-of-neoliberalism-by-david-harvey-2005 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1581/let-them-export-cake-an-examination-of-the-role-of-economic-freedoms-in-fostering-intra-emu-export-growth By Paul Jeffries - This paper investigates the relationship between various types of economic freedom and intra-EMU export growth. Export growth is the primary empirical puzzle that this paper seeks to explicate, and is important because the EMU's inception preceded significant current account differentials that can mainly be attributed to changes in exports, as imports remained relatively constant. The independent variables – all types of economic freedom – were chosen in light of Cerny's theory of the "competition state," which highlights the importance of intra-state competition, theorizing that increased... Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1581/let-them-export-cake-an-examination-of-the-role-of-economic-freedoms-in-fostering-intra-emu-export-growth http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1315/globalization-inequality-and-the-concentration-of-wealth-in-the-uk By Shaun Docherty - Stories like these, exposing the avarice of capitalism, are becoming an almost daily feature of British broadsheets and are testimony to the fact that extreme wealth polarisation and inequality are now major issues for poverty campaigners and economists alike. These trends are both morally repugnant and a reflection of major flaws in the assumptions that underpin free-market economic theory. The free-market is both a mechanism that has facilitated unprecedented growth and development in human history and a wrecking-ball with no morals and the potential to tear societies apart. As inequality spirals... Mon, 30 Nov 2015 09:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1315/globalization-inequality-and-the-concentration-of-wealth-in-the-uk http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1051/media-discourse-during-the-financial-crisis-an-inquiry-into-the-nature-of-the-contemporary-fourth-estate By Shaun Docherty - The concept of a “fourth estate” was first articulated by John Declare, editor of The Times in an article published in 1853. He believed the press had a crucial role to play in British society’s transformation into a representative liberal democracy by holding the state to account and by “seek[ing] out the truth, above all things.”[2] This basic premise has been developed by liberal democracy theorists like Noberto Bobbio who have defined the modern media’s pivotal role in a functioning, inclusive democracy. Today, the media’s role in a democratic society... Fri, 19 Jun 2015 09:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1051/media-discourse-during-the-financial-crisis-an-inquiry-into-the-nature-of-the-contemporary-fourth-estate http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1013/capitalist-hegemony-the-political-challenge-of-alter-globalization By Jessica C. Bridges - Commonly associated with the economic principles espoused by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her US counterpart Ronald Reagan, neoliberal globalization conceives of the market and private capital as the main drivers for the “restructuring of economic, political and life” (Bangura 1994: 787). After a decade of TINA (There is No Alternative) indoctrination, a momentous backlash emerged in the 1990s (Ramos 2006: 3). Intent on exposing the internal conflicts and failures innate in a system that allowed the propagation of global stratification, activists representing... Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:53 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1013/capitalist-hegemony-the-political-challenge-of-alter-globalization http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1000/the-contemporary-global-public-sphere-as-reincarnation-of-habermas-bourgeois-society By Shaun Docherty - Our contemporary global public sphere is made up of a tiny proportion of the world’s population. Affluent, exclusive, and concerned only with perpetuating its own economic advancement, this contemporary global public sphere is an anachronism that possesses all the constituent elements of the early eighteenth century bourgeois public sphere identified by Jürgen Habermas in his seminal work, “The Structural Transformation of the Global Sphere.” This is a particularly bold statement considering Habermas was heavily criticised for his theory, was believed to have been unhappy... Mon, 16 Feb 2015 11:40 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1000/the-contemporary-global-public-sphere-as-reincarnation-of-habermas-bourgeois-society http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1605/commercial-interests-political-influence-and-the-arms-trade By Nicholas Taber - Given the importance of the global defense trade to geopolitics, the global economy, and international relations at large, this paper examines the political economy of the U.S. defense industry. The goal of this study is to determine the extent to which the U.S. arms trade is driven by commercial interests. This study hypothesizes that an increase in the political influence of the U.S. arms industry leads to any increase in arms exports. Using the congruence method, this study observes campaign contributions in given years from defense corporations with the largest market shares. While strong... Fri, 31 May 2013 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1605/commercial-interests-political-influence-and-the-arms-trade http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/730/the-apparition-of-fading-apartheid-racialized-vision-khaya-mthethwa-and-idols-sa By David W. Synyard - This essay examines the first black winner in 2012 on Idols SA, Khaya Mthethwa (Appendix 1), the TV format of the Idol brand, and the social construction of racialized vision in the context of South Africa as a post-colonial nation from a visual culture perspective. Theoretically, this essay presents an interdisciplinary approach of Marxist political economy, Debord’s concept of the spectacle (1983, p. 13), and Foucauldian biopower (2013, p. 134). Although somewhat contradictory, these theories present a nuanced understanding of how Mthethwa’s spectacle is encased in a racialized form... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:40 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/730/the-apparition-of-fading-apartheid-racialized-vision-khaya-mthethwa-and-idols-sa http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/712/justice-and-inequality-in-the-world-trading-system-a-critical-assesment By Dominykas Broga - It has been argued that the global trading system is supposed to promote global efficiency and growth, but a rising chorus of voices is asserting that the global economy operates in a way that is fundamentally unfair and seems to be ‘rigged in favor of the rich’[2]. Those voices require more equality in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yet, neo-liberals argue that unequal outcomes in the world economy are acceptable on the assumption that equality of opportunity still exists.[3] Others defend the world trading system on the grounds that existing inequalities are fair, because they... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/712/justice-and-inequality-in-the-world-trading-system-a-critical-assesment http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1240/hot-cocoa-agricultural-economics-and-the-ivorian-civil-wars By John Biberman - The recent International Criminal Court arraignment of former president Laurent Gbagbo on charges of crimes against humanity marks the culmination of a decade of conflict in Côte d'Ivoire--, one of the most protracted periods of strife in West African history. Following the 1993 death of longtime leader Félix Houphouët-Boigny, or "Le Vieux," the country gradually descended into a largely broken state, divided by two civil wars. The conflict has caused Côte d'Ivoire, whose economic capital Abidjan was once called "the Paris of Africa", to lose its designation as one of Africa... Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1240/hot-cocoa-agricultural-economics-and-the-ivorian-civil-wars http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/607/trading-for-membership-effects-of-eu-candidacy-on-trade-openness-and-gdp-per-capita-in-countries-seeking-membership By Constantine J. Petallides - Since the data from Lars and University of Pennsylvania confirm that candidates trade more than they would normally with the EU, the next question becomes: why? Using “data on sovereign debt instruments from thirty-four emerging markets,”[4] Julia Gray determined that “EU candidacy leads to a decrease in perceived default risk, while EU entry decreases the variance of risk levels,”[5] attracting more foreign investment from international agents. To paraphrase, Gray found that when a smaller nation joins a political and economic union, investors are less worried that the... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:03 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/607/trading-for-membership-effects-of-eu-candidacy-on-trade-openness-and-gdp-per-capita-in-countries-seeking-membership http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1271/the-g-20-preempts-the-g-8-what-kind-of-world-economic-order By Shalendra D. Sharma - Few would disagree that the most significant development at the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh during September 24-25, 2009 was the formal acknowledgement of the changing of the guards. In the draft communiqué, President Barack Obama declared that from now on, the Group of 20 (G-20) will be the primary organization responsible for coordinating global economic policy. The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was more explicit, noting that “the old system of international economic cooperation is over. The new system, as of today, has begun... The G-20 is now the premier economic organization... Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1271/the-g-20-preempts-the-g-8-what-kind-of-world-economic-order http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1275/putting-the-b-in-the-bric-brazils-rise-as-a-major-emerging-power By Gabriel Rodrigues - The world is rapidly changing and the new international order includes developing nations as powerful actors. Among them, Brazil stands out as one of the most influential and promising players. This article examines Brazil’s case as an emerging major power in the international system. Despite several challenges it has yet to overcome, Brazil presents itself as a stable nation capable of being an economically and politically influential. This paper analyzes how Brazil is much more than just soccer, the Amazon, and Carnaval; in reality, it is becoming a powerful actor in the international... Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1275/putting-the-b-in-the-bric-brazils-rise-as-a-major-emerging-power http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1281/rising-euro-falling-dollar-the-dynamic-of-a-global-monetary-shift By Hubert Zimmermann - Yet, it is clear that the Euro plays in a different league from the DM. This is not only due to the size of its market (15 countries with a population of 320 million), but also because the European Union, most of whose members will eventually adopt the Euro, has made no secret of its ambition to become a global actor, not only a regional one as Germany was. The rise of the Euro suggests to participants, whether individuals, firms, or states, that holding Euros might be more profitable than holding Dollars. In fact, according to the latest IMF figures, the share of Dollars in total official reserves... Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1281/rising-euro-falling-dollar-the-dynamic-of-a-global-monetary-shift http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1280/the-russian-government-and-gazprom By Philip Nahernak - Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the newly-formed Russian Federation faced a considerable economic downturn. During the post-Soviet economic collapse spanning from 1991 to 1998, Russian gross domestic product (GDP) fell from $509,381,640,192 to $270,953,119,744 (current US dollars).1 These figures represent a decline of $238,428,520,448 or approximately 46.8% of the total GDP. This proverbial collapse of the Russian economy was largely due to changing incentives within the Russian market as it evolved from communism to capitalism. Further economic troubles ensued in 1998, spurred by... Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1280/the-russian-government-and-gazprom