Corporate Power in a Global Economy
Palan, Ronen. In Susan Strange and the Future of Global Political Economy: Power, Control and Transformation, edited by Randall Germain, 170-182. London: Routledge, 2016.
What is the nature of the powers of corporations in a globalized economy? Has there been a shift of power from states to corporations? From states to markets? And if yes, how and why? These are the sort of questions that were at heart of Susan Strange's work. Political science during the time of her writing, and even more so international relations, was occupied with forms of relational power (Tajfel and Turner 1979). These theories assumed that an existential condition of scarcity (of material or ideational goods) encourages the formation of collective action groups, each intent on advancing or protecting their vested interests. Political scientists would use key concepts such as actors, intentions, interests and power, which, in combination were supposed to provide the analyst with a good grasp over policy outcomes.
Keywords: Corporations; Structural Power, Power
Contributor(s): Ronen Palan and Editor: Randall Germain Keywords: Corporations, Structural Power, Power, Strange-Influenced Works, 2010's Source and Medium: Book Chapter
Year of Publication: 2016