Trade and Power: Power Study of EU Trade Policy
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
LAI, YUN-CHEN
Abstract
“Power” is the focus of International Relations. This thesis uses power to connect economic and political issues of European Union (the EU). This thesis discusses how EU uses trade policy to pursue political intention. About EU’s role in power, there are various opinions in academic circle. This thesis reviews related perspectives and examines what role EU plays in international stage.
Three mainstreams of IR theories have various concerns of power. This thesis uses power perspectives of three IR theories to explain EU trade policy. This thesis utilizes Wendt''s view of international system, assuming that EU is facing various counterparts. This thesis also assumes that China is the hard competitor of EU, US is the soft competitor, and ACP States are the followers of EU. In the relation with China, this thesis discusses EU-China textile trade dispute; in the relation with US, this thesis analyzes EU-US GMO trade dispute; and in the relation with ACP States, this thesis reviews the evolution of ACP policy of EC/EU since the integration of Europe.
This thesis includes 8 chapters. Chapter one explains motives and purposes, defines range and restrictions of this research, and also reviews related studies. Chapter two discusses the importance of power in IR study, and analyses power perspectives of three mainstreams of IR theory. Chapter three demonstrates the independent capability of EU in trade policy by specifying the decision-making processes and the design of EU institutions. Chapter four, five, and six study EU-China textile trade dispute, EU-US GMO trade dispute, and EC/EU ACP policy individually. Chapter seven uses perspectives of three mainstreams to analyze the corelation between trade policy and political power of EU. Chapter eight is conclusion, reviewing this research thoroughly, and analyzing what role EU plays in international stage.
This thesis uses Neorealism, Neoinstitutionalism, and Social Constructivism as approach, and EU trade policy as study objective, to discuss how EU uses trade policy to develop political power, and how EU utilizes trade policy to pursue political intention. This thesis concludes that EU establishes "Knowledge Power" which is distinct from traditional military power, by using trade policy, trade power, normative power, and civilian power.
Subjects
knowledge power
textile dispute
GMO dispute
ACP policy
EU-China relationships
EU-US relationships
EU-ACP states relationships
Type
thesis
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