Date of Award

1991

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Political Science

Abstract

During the Middle Ages, the "marketplace" may have consisted of one village; products were made and sold locally. From a business person's perspective, there was little need to find out about the preferences of people in another town, let aone on another continent. In the middle of the twentieth century, American made products were sold in America; there was not much incentive to find about the tastes of people in another country. Business in the 1990's is different. Today there is a "global marketplace." Technology has made the planet smaller, facilitating communication and transportation between nations. The world today, in a matter of speaking, is only as afar away as the nearest fax machine. In a way, trade has been democratized: it is now available to nearly anyone with a unique idea or product.

As frequently happens in international relations, the recipe for power has changed, along with the nations possessing it. The equation for power today stresses economic as much as military might. Although America's position as a military superpower continues undisputed, whether it will remain an economic superpower into the next century will depend on its response to current challenges from the international community. Japan and the European Community are America's allies, but they are also economic competitors. While the United States can benefit from the wealth of its neighbors, it can only do so if it is an active participant in the global marketplace.

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