Economic Cycles, Crises, and the Global Periphery (International Perspectives on Social Policy, Administration, and Practice)

This thought-provoking monograph analyzes long- medium- and short-term global cycles of prosperity, recession, and depression, plotting them against centuries of important world events. Major research on economic and political cycles is integrated to clarify evolving relationships between the global center and its periphery as well as current worldwide economic upheavals and potential future developments. Central to this survey are successive waves of industrial and, later, technological and cybernetic progress, leading to the current era of globalization and the changes of the roles of both Western powers and former minors players, however that will lead to the formation of the world order without a hegemon. Additionally, the authors predict what they term the __Great Convergence__, the lessening of inequities between the global core and the rest of the world, including the wealth gap between First and Third World nations. Among the topics in this ambitious volume: · Why politics is often omitted from economic analysis. · Why economic cycles are crucial to understanding the modern geopolitical landscape. · How the aging of the developed world will affect world technological and economic future.< · The evolving technological forecast for Global North and South. · Where the U.S. is likely to stand on the future world stage.__Economic Cycles, Crises, and the Global Periphery__ will inspire discussion and debate among sociologists, global economists, demographers, global historians, and futurologists. This expert knowledge is necessary for further research, proactive response, and preparedness for a new age of sociopolitical change. This thought-provoking monograph analyzes long- medium- and short-term global cycles of prosperity, recession, and depression, plotting them against centuries of important world events. Major research on economic and political cycles is integrated to clarify evolving relationships between the global center and its periphery as well as current worldwide economic upheavals and potential future developments. Central to this survey are successive waves of industrial and, later, technological and cybernetic progress, leading to the current era of globalization and the changes of the roles of both Western powers and former minors players, however that will lead to the formation of the world order without a hegemon. Additionally, the authors predict what they term the Great Convergence, the lessening of inequities between the global core and the rest of the world, including the wealth gap between First and Third World nations. Among the topics in this ambitious volume: · Why politics is often omitted from economic analysis. · Why economic cycles are crucial to understanding the modern geopolitical landscape. · How the aging of the developed world will affect world technological and economic future.< · The evolving technological forecast for Global North and South. · Where the U.S. is likely to stand on the future world stage. Economic Cycles, Crises, and the Global Periphery will inspire discussion and debate among sociologists, global economists, demographers, global historians, and futurologists. This expert knowledge is necessary for further research, proactive response, and preparedness for a new age of sociopolitical change. Front Matter....Pages i-xviii Introduction. Cyclical and World-Systemic Aspects of Economic Reality with Respect to Contemporary Crisis....Pages 1-21 Kondratieff Waves in the World System Perspective....Pages 23-54 Interaction between Kondratieff Waves and Juglar Cycles....Pages 55-109 From Kondratieff Cycles to Akamatsu Waves? A New Center-Periphery Perspective on Long Cycles....Pages 111-141 Kondratieff Waves and Technological Revolutions....Pages 143-160 Afterword: New Kondratieff Wave and Forthcoming Global Social Transformation....Pages 161-180 Back Matter....Pages 181-265