Business and the Euro

This book explores how British and German business associations formed their political attitudes towards Economic and Monetary Union between 1988 and 1998. With provocative argument and unique insight, it demonstrates how business associations are political entities in their own right, acting strategically to promote members' specific interests.

'This is an interesting subject and Duckenfield has amassed some rich empirical material from interviews on the way that business associations in Germany and the United Kingdom responded to the national debates in each country.' - Helen Thompson, Political Studies Review

Autorentext
MARK E. DUCKENFIELD is currently Lecturer in the Politics of the World Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, having previously held positions at University College London, UK and Harvard University, USA. He has published numerous articles on German and British politics and was previously editor of The Monetary History of Gold.

Inhalt
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION: BUSINESS AND EMU The Puzzle The Literature Internationalization and Domestic Politics Collective Action Conventional Explanation: Economic Interest Alternative Explanation: Public Opinion The Argument The Associational Arena: Structuring Interests The Political Arena: Structuring Interests Research Design and Case Selection Summary PART TWO: GERMANY AND THE POLITICS OF EMU Political Institutions The Government and Bundesbank The Bundestag and Bundesrat Parties The Delors Report German Unification and the Maastricht Treaty The Politics of Convergence The (Growth and) Stability Pact The March 1996 Landtag Elections The Gold Revaluation Crisis EMU Membership Conclusions PART THREE: GERMAN BUSINESS Organisation of the Associational Arena The Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie (BDI) Deutscher Industrie und Handelstag (DIHT) Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI) Bundesverband der Deutschen Süßwarenindustrie (BDSI) Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie (BI) Economic and Monetary Union Conclusions PART FOUR: BRITAIN AND THE POLITICS OF EMU Political Institutions The Government and the Bank of England Parliament Parties The ERM (1990-92) Margaret Thatcher and the ERM John Major and Maastricht The Maastricht Crisis Informal Inflation-Targeting (1992-94) Formal Inflation-Targeting (1994-97) The 1997 General Election Central Bank Independence (1997-Present) Conclusion PART FIVE: BRITISH BUSINESS Organisation of the Associational Arena The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Institute of Directors (IoD) London Investment Bankers Associations (LIBA) National Farmers Union (NFU) Business Strategies: Membership in the ERM The Maastricht Treaty Economic and Monetary Union Conclusions PART SIX: CONCLUSIONS