Category Archives: International Relations

The Political Economy of US Foreign Policy

Posted on 2014-07-09 by

Summary : (Part 1 of 4) I critique commenter Matt’s argument that, at the deepest level, American foreign policy has sought a “favourable investment climate” for itself in the Third World.

Posted in Cold War, Foreign Investment, International Relations, U.S. foreign policy | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Very Brief History of Foreign Investment

Posted on 2014-07-09 by

Summary : (Part 2 of 4) As the prelude to a critique of commenter Matt’s view of American foreign policy presented in Part 1, I sketch a brief history of foreign investment as context. Fear not the drear of evil, for the post is mostly pictures … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Economic History, Foreign Investment, International Relations, U.S. foreign policy | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Balance Sheet of US Foreign Policy 1940-2013

Posted on 2014-07-09 by

(Part 3 of 4) I argue that commenter Matt’s view of US foreign policy, as presented in Part 1, makes no sense because the “returns” from that investment climate are laughably low. I present a balance sheet of American internationalism … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Foreign Investment, International Relations, U.S. foreign policy | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Mystery of US Behaviour in the World

Posted on 2014-07-09 by

(Part 4 of 4) I argue that American behaviour on the world stage defies any rational explanation. I also question whether the United States has derived much economic benefit from its activist and interventionist approach in the world.

Posted in Cold War, History, International Relations, U.S. foreign policy | Tagged , , , | 49 Comments

Argentina’s Exclusion from the Marshall Plan 1948-50

Posted on 2014-07-09 by

In the comments section of an unrelated blogpost, the commenter Matt doggedly argues that the Truman administration deliberately prohibited the European beneficiaries of the Marshall Plan from using American funds to purchase Argentinian wheat in 1948-50. This discrimination, Matt contends, was an … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, International Relations, Latin America | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment