Political Economy
1- Define and outline your academic subject area and evaluate the benefits of research in this field. You should make reference to at least two recent or seminal pieces of research.
Current issues in the world system generally have been analysed by economic or political aspects. However “the polity is much more influenced by economic developments than many political scientists have admitted, and the economy is much more dependent upon social and political developments than economists in general have appreciated” (Gilpin, 2010 : 25). Therefore, Political economy combines political and economic theory to evaluate states and societies. In addition regional studies give a chance to concentrate on one item deeply in a huge international system. In this essay Middle East region, which is consisted of lands around the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran and sometimes beyond ( Britannica website, 2013), will be analysed from political economy perspective. Situation of region is analysed by Political economy of inequality in the Middle East and then economic ties among the region countries. Research into political economy of the Middle East is important and beneficial because we can perceive main developing and emerging problems in region and create solution methods to economic, security and political instability problems in one of the main crucial regions in the world.
To begin with, in every part of the world human live with finite resources. In addition quality and variety of natural resources, geographical features and society characters are changeable from country to the other country (Robinson, 2009). Therefore neo-liberal economists claim that everything is beginning and developing unequal in the world and capitalist system is right to continue to this unequal process in society. However, although it is undeniable that some inequalities can not be changed, it is crucial to remember the
Current issues in the world system generally have been analysed by economic or political aspects. However “the polity is much more influenced by economic developments than many political scientists have admitted, and the economy is much more dependent upon social and political developments than economists in general have appreciated” (Gilpin, 2010 : 25). Therefore, Political economy combines political and economic theory to evaluate states and societies. In addition regional studies give a chance to concentrate on one item deeply in a huge international system. In this essay Middle East region, which is consisted of lands around the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran and sometimes beyond ( Britannica website, 2013), will be analysed from political economy perspective. Situation of region is analysed by Political economy of inequality in the Middle East and then economic ties among the region countries. Research into political economy of the Middle East is important and beneficial because we can perceive main developing and emerging problems in region and create solution methods to economic, security and political instability problems in one of the main crucial regions in the world.
To begin with, in every part of the world human live with finite resources. In addition quality and variety of natural resources, geographical features and society characters are changeable from country to the other country (Robinson, 2009). Therefore neo-liberal economists claim that everything is beginning and developing unequal in the world and capitalist system is right to continue to this unequal process in society. However, although it is undeniable that some inequalities can not be changed, it is crucial to remember the
Bibliography: 1. Encyclopedia Britannica 2011.Retrieved June 30th, 2013, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/381192/Middle-East 2. Gilpin, R. (2001). Global Political Economy . New Jersey: Princeton University Press. 3. Pamuk, Ş. (2006). Estimating Economic Growth in the Middle East since 1820 . The Journal of Economic History 66/3 : 809-828 4. Richards, A. & Waterbury, J. (2008) . A POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE MIDDLE EAST . Colorado: Westvies Press 5. Robinson, J. (2009) . The Political Economy of Inequality . Paper presented for the 15th Annual Meeting of the Economic Research Forum the Middle East, Cairo. 6. The World Factbook 2013-2014. Washington DC: Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved June 30th, 2013, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2172rank.html