234) International Economic Integration in Historical Perspective

Dennis M. O. McCarthy:
International Economic Integration in Historical Perspective
Routledge Explorations in Economic History
New York: Routledge, 2006, 254 p.

Introduction: International Economic Integration as economics, politics, and political economy, 1
1.Colonial empires, 8
2. Merchant Associations, 41
3. Religious empires, 71
4. Criminal empires, 91
5. Free trade áreas, 108
6. Customs unions, 134
7. Common markets, 164
Retrospective as prospective, 202
(1) International Economic Integration is an economic and a political process. But it also involves political economy
(2) Define and develop those interrelations between economics and politics that most strenghten your organization (exemple: Hanseatic League)
(3) History does not provide an infallible Road map for cross-border economic integration, but the ollverein is a good place to start. Lessons from Zollverein
L1: It helps to have a central motivating idea
L2: It helps to be able to draw on a powerful underlying force with deep emotional wellsprings
L3: It helps to have a vision
L4: It helps to have leaders, including a major figure, who can implement this vision
L5: It can help to see your organization overcoming hostile forces
L6: Align geography and economics
L7: Big things takes time
L8: Do not do too much at once
L9: Streamline goals (p. 204)

(4) International economic integration has many positives but it has a dark side: desintegration (never outsource your own security, p. 206)
(5) There is more than one path forward: Mercosur strives to become a common market, but apparently des not view legal standardization as a requirement to achieve this objective (p. 207)