The traditional theory of imperialism needs a major overhaul.
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[and the neo-Gramscian take, which is *quite* good......]
Private Power and Global Authority Claire Cutler Cambridge University Press
Claire Cutler offers a critical analysis of the role that international economic law plays in the creation and maintenance of power relations in the world. By examining the historical and contemporary evolution of the law merchant she argues that private interests have governed global economic relations through practices that are little understood. This book is interdisciplinary, drawing upon international relations and law, international political economy and political and legal theories. It makes an important first step toward developing a critical understanding of the political foundations of transnational economic law.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Acronyms and abbreviations 1 Introduction 1 2 Conceptualizing the role of law in the global political economy 16 3 Theorizing the role of law in the global political economy 60 4 Medieval lex mercatoria 108 5 State-building: constituting the public sphere and disembedding the private sphere 141 6 The modern law merchant and the mercatocracy 180 7 Conclusion: Transnational merchant law and global authority: a crisis of legitimacy 241
References 263
Cases cited 294
International treaties and United Nations documents 295
Index 298