Research Article

Understanding International Economic Institutions and China through Uneven and Combined Development

Volume: 7 Number: 1 January 31, 2023
Mert Söyler *
PDF Download
Lectio Socialis Cover Lectio Socialis
EN

Understanding International Economic Institutions and China through Uneven and Combined Development

Abstract

For many decades, we are witnessing the economic rise of China and the increasing integration of China into existing international economic institutions. However, this paper argues that prevalent international relations theories are insufficient to explain this conjuncture of international political economy. Instead, this paper proposes the theory of uneven and combined development (UCD) to further integrate the international dimension of historical unevenness that is resulting from the historical conditions of global capitalism. The argument of this paper proceeds in two steps: First, the liberal, realist and orthodox Marxist theories’ analytical assumptions are discussed to understand the rise of China and its integration into international economic institutions, mainly the World Trade Organization. Second, the UCD theory is applied to reveal historical unevenness and intersocietal interactions through global capitalism. It is argued that the historical unevenness both determined the integration of China into international economic institutions and has caused instability within global capitalism through the trade war between US and China.

Keywords

international political economy , China , US , uneven and combined development , late industrialization

References

  1. Berger, B. & Martin, R., F. (2011). “The Growth of Chinese Exports: An Examination of the Detailed Trade Data.” Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System International Finance Discussion Papers, 1-23.
  2. Fewsmith, J. (2001). “The Political and Social Implications of China’s Accession to the WTO.” The China Quarterly, 167, 573-591.
  3. Gonzalez Vicente , R. (2022). In the name of the nation: Authoritarian practices, capital accumulation, and the radical simplification of development in China’s global vision.” Globalizations, 1-16.
  4. Harvey, D. (1990). The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. 1st ed. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishers.
  5. Holsti, K J. (2004). Taming the Sovereigns Institutional Change in International Politics 1 st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  6. International Monetary Fund (2023). GDP based on PPP, share of world [Data file]. Retrieved from: https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/PPPSH@WEO/CHN/USA
  7. Jackson, R. & Sørensen , G. (2013). Introduction to International Relations Theories and Approaches. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  8. Marx, K. (1982). Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. Translated by Ben Fowkes. Middlesex: Penguin Books.
  9. Matin, K. (2013). Recasting Iranian Modernity: International relations and social change. Oxford: Routledge.
  10. Oneal, J., R., Oneal, F., H., Maoz, Z & Russett, B. (1996). “ The Liberal Peace: Interdependence, Democracy, and International Conflict, 1950 85.” Journal of Peace Research, 33(1), 11-28.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sociology , International Relations

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Publication Date

January 31, 2023

Submission Date

November 18, 2022

Acceptance Date

January 12, 2023

Published in Issue

Year 2023 Volume: 7 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.47478/lectio.1207017

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA99MG68FJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex
APA
Söyler, M. (2023). Understanding International Economic Institutions and China through Uneven and Combined Development. Lectio Socialis, 7(1), 33-42. https://doi.org/10.47478/lectio.1207017

Lectio Socialis is a prestigious, international, peer-reviewed journal operating on a continuous publication model that provides a platform for scholars to share high-quality, policy-relevant research. The journal’s primary focus is political science, exclusively accepting original research and review articles. While centered on political inquiry, the journal also welcomes contributions from related fields such as public administration, international relations, and economics that offer significant insights into governance and power structures. The primary objective of Lectio Socialis is to maintain an independent and unbiased environment for global researchers to present transformative scholarship that addresses structural inequalities and contributes to the advancement of knowledge and social progress.

Creative Commons License
Lectio Socialis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.