Trading Blocs : States , Firms , And Regions In The World Economy

This is an examination of the domestic politics involved in the creation of trading blocs. Global commerce is rapidly coalescing around regional trading blocs in North America, Western Europe, Pacific Asia, and elsewhere, with enormous consequences for the world trading system. "Trading Blocs" examines how domestic politics have driven the emergence of these blocs. Author Kerry Chase argues that certain businesses lobby for trading blocs in order to gain economies of scale or move stages of production abroad. His case studies of domestic trade politics illustrate why recent regional trading arrangements have consistently promoted trade liberalization rather than protectionist backlash. "Trading Blocs" builds on a growing body of research into political economy and domestic politics, challenging the tendency to explain international trade relations in terms of alliances, power politics, and intergovernmental bargaining. Rich in empirical detail and statistical analysis, this book is perfect for scholars and students in the fields of political science, economics, and business.


Acknowledgments
I have many people to thank and debts to acknowledge in the writing of this book. Above all I must single out Jeff Frieden for being an exceptional scholar, generous adviser, and true friend. Jeff has served as an indispensable source of sage guidance and unwavering encouragement from the day he agreed to chair my Ph.D. dissertation committee. It has been my great fortune since I came to Tufts to have Jeff so close by, and I look forward to many future conversations with him about political economy, scholarship, and the New York Yankees.
I am grateful to all of my colleagues in the political science department at Tufts University for creating an environment of professionalism, community, and good humor. My department chairs, Jim Glaser and Vickie Sullivan, have been extremely supportive. Tony Smith read an early draft of the manuscript and offered excellent advice on how to present key points more effectively. Elizabeth Remick has been a terrific colleague and friend.
At UCLA, I learned much more from Ron Rogowski and Dick Rosecrance than I could ever communicate. Thanks also to Ben Bishin, Paul Frymer, Alan Kessler, and Chris Layne for giving me insights about political science (as well as diversions from it) over the years.
The German Marshall Fund of the United States provided funding for the project. This made it possible for me to write an initial draft of the manuscript as a visiting scholar at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. I would like to thank both organizations and the members of their staff who made this assistance possible.
Parts of chapters 2 and 6 draw from my article "Economic Interests and Regional Trading Arrangements: The Case of NAFTA," International Organization 57 (winter 2003): 137-74. I am grateful to International Organization and Cambridge University Press for their permission to use this article. Thanks also to Robert Feenstra and Deborah Swenson for sharing with me the offshore assembly trade data that I use in chapter 6.
Jim Reische guided the manuscript through the review process at the University of Michigan Press. I am grateful to him and to Lisa Martin and Edward Mansfield, the Michigan Studies in International Political Economy series editors, for having confidence in the manuscript and being diligent in securing external reviews. Two anonymous reviewers won my appreciation for taking the time and effort to read the manuscript carefully and present their suggestions constructively. I thank them for giving me valuable advice on how to improve the argument, evidence, and presentation.
My parents, Lori and Steve Chase, instilled in me an appreciation for scholarship, and they have encouraged and supported me in education, career, and life. My beautiful wife Stephanie has provided constant love and emotional support throughout. Since she's had to live with this manuscript for as long as we've been together, I'm sure she will be as happy as me to see it finally in print. And my adorable daughter Ella has spent many of her first days at my side, bouncing, swinging, kicking, and (on rare occasions) napping while waiting for daddy to finish working so he could play.