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Trade Networks, Trade Blocs, and Hegemortic Conflict
Author(s) -
Su Tieting,
Clawson Dan
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1994.tb00400.x
Subject(s) - international trade , world trade , german , economics , economic integration , trade barrier , core (optical fiber) , international economics , geography , computer science , telecommunications , archaeology
Most structural analyses of the world system have focused on distinguishing the core from the periphery and semiperiphery. This article extends the structural approach by identifying blocs and groupings in the world market. A network analysis of trade among the 102 countries with 1990 trade of U.S. $2 billion or more finds that the United States, Japan, and Germany are by far the most important countries in the trade network. The U.S. and Japanese trade blocs are highly overlapped, while the German trade bloc is largely separate. The 1990 trade patterns suggest the potential for, and possible shape of, increased trade conflict between rival world powers.