Comparative Political Economy: States, Markets and Global Capitalism

(Paperback, 2nd edition)

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This is a book about how 21st-century capitalism really works. Modern economics strips away social, historical, and political context from analysis of the economic, but the economy is far too important to leave exclusively to the economists. Comparative Political Economy (CPE) is a much broader, richer intellectual undertaking which re-embeds the analysis of the economic within the social and political realm. This is at the heart of how to think like a political economist. This text maps the terrain and evolution of CPE, providing the analytical tools to explore the many variants of capitalism, unearthing their roots in competing visions of the desirable distribution of the fruits of growth. Connecting CPE systematically to the subfield of International Political Economy (IPE), the book explains how these visions generate ongoing political struggles over how to regulate and manage capitalism. This is the perfect introduction to the field for all students of CPE and IPE. New to this Edition: - Fully revised and updated throughout to take into account the latest empirical and theoretical developments in this fast-moving field - A brand New chapter on the political economy of inequality, populism, Trump & Brexit - New expanded how to use this book aimed at student readers - More coverage of the types of economies covered, to move from an exclusively Western focus to cover developing and emerging global economies

Reviews

This is a superb survey of the field of comparative political economy including its early origins, development over time, and latest cutting-edge research. In this beautifully written book, Ben Clift manages to create genuine intellectual excitement for both aspiring and established political economists. * Matthias Matthijs, Johns Hopkins University, USA *
Comparative Political Economy is an exceedingly erudite book. Clift navigates deftly between classical political economy theory, rival analytical frameworks, and contemporary economic issues. The discussion of current topics, like the financial crisis and political populism, is especially welcome. * Jonah Levy, University of California, Berkeley, USA *
Comparative Political Economy provides us with some essential tools for analysing the dynamism and dysfunctionality of capitalist development in all its various forms. Ben Clift's book offers the best introduction to this approach. It places comparative political economy within the 'classical' tradition of Smith, Marx and List before providing an invaluable critical overview of the cutting-edge of the field today. The book is attentive to history and theory while marshalling an impressive breadth of empirical evidence. It will undoubtedly prove to be a key reference point for the next generation of scholars working within the field. * Scott Lavery, University of Sheffield, UK *
Ben Clift has written the most comprehensive review of comparative political economy Ive seen in many years. Classical and modern debates; interest-based and ideational approaches; diverse methodological perspectives, its all covered. This is a real gem! * John L. Campbell, Dartmouth College, USA (review for 1st edition) *
Political economy has been too long divided between different schools and approaches. In this path-breaking text Ben Clift shows the potential of an integrated political economy and how comparative and international political economy can complement one another. This is a book which all students of political economy will benefit from reading. * Andrew Gamble, University of Sheffield, UK (review for 1st edition) *
Ben Clift provides a crisp, cogent and compelling introduction to comparative political economy. Theoretically rich, highly perceptive and packed with telling analytical insights he makes the best possible case for the value of comparative political economy today. A must read. * Colin Hay, Sciences Po, France (review for 1st edition) *
Ben Clifts Comparative Political Economy: States, Markets and Global Capitalism is a wonderfully readable book that provides a clear, concise, and illuminating introduction to comparative political economy, from the theoretical origins to the contemporary realities. Through its insightful analysis of conceptual debates, empirical applications, and methodological approaches, this book fills a very big gap in the comparative political economy literature, providing a text that says it all in ways that students will find not just accessible but also enjoyable to read, and which scholars will cite. Moreover, by emphasizing the central role of ideas while showing how states and markets are intertwined and how comparative political economy and international political economy are interrelated, the book offers a refreshingly innovative and up-to-date way of understanding comparative political economy today. * Vivien A. Schmidt, Boston University, USA (review for 1st edition) *
Every so often, a book comes along that both demands inclusion on student reading lists and takes scholarly debate forward. Comparative Political Economy is one of those rare volumes. Ben Clift writes with clarity, passion and erudition in defence of a political economy that is methodologically pluralist, historically sensitive and wide ranging in its source literature. The result is a masterpiece of exegesis that will gain countless adherents in the classroom. It will also force us, as scholars, to think very seriously about the substance of our field in general and the supposed boundaries between comparative and international political economy in particular. * Ben Rosamond, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (review for 1st edition) *

Author Bio

Ben Clift is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Warwick, where he currently holds a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship. His books include The IMF and the Politics of Austerity (Oxford University Press, 2018), and French Socialism in a Global Era (Continuum 2003). He is co-editor of Economic Patriotism: Political Intervention in Open Markets (Routledge 2012) and Where Are National Capitalisms Now (Palgrave 2004). He has published widely on comparative and international political economy in journals including British Journal of Political Science, Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Public Policy, New Political Economy, and Review of International Political Economy.