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Producing Security: Multinational Corporations, Globalization, and the Changing Calculus of Conflict

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Scholars and statesmen have debated the influence of international commerce on war and peace for thousands of years. Over the centuries, analysts have generally treated the questions "Does international commerce influence security?" and "Do trade flows influence security?" as synonymous.


In Producing Security , Stephen Brooks maintains that such an overarching focus on the security implications of trade once made sense but no longer does. Trade is no longer the primary means of organizing international economic transactions; rather, where and how multinational corporations (MNCs) organize their international production activities is now the key integrating force of global commerce.


MNC strategies have changed in a variety of fundamental ways over the past three decades, Brooks argues, resulting in an increased geographic dispersion of production across borders. The author shows that the globalization of production has led to a series of shifts in the global security environment. It has a differential effect on security relations, in part because it does not encompass all countries and industries to the same extent. The book's findings indicate that the geographic dispersion of MNC production acts as a significant force for peace among the great powers. The author concludes that there is no basis for optimism that the globalization of production will promote peace elsewhere in the world. Indeed, he finds that it has a net negative influence on security relations among developing countries.

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2005

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Stephen G. Brooks

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for R..
1,682 reviews51 followers
February 7, 2017
At times so detail oriented that it was hard for a person without a background in economics and business to follow, but still amazing for all of that. This text focuses on asking and answering the age of question as to what influence international trade has on peace between nations. But more specifically, does the globalization of production influence peace between nations? Between great powers? Between developing nations? I could go into talking about my personal thoughts on the subject after reading the book but I won't. It's good enough that people truly interested in this topic should read it for themselves.

If you're interested in military logistics, public administration in the defense sector, globalization, or military history then this is a good book for you to check out. This is to the impacts of globalization on defense and national security what Thomas Friedman's books have been on globalization in general.
Profile Image for Jason Lamarche.
6 reviews5 followers
August 3, 2009
This book will open your mind up to the most complex dimensions of globalization ever! A must read for "everyone"! I am not kidding...
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