The main stages of development of the world economy. Stages of formation and periods of development of the world economy Stages of world development in the 20th century

The world economy began to take shape long ago. It all started with global trade.

World Trade represents the totality of foreign trade of all countries of the world.

At the earliest stages of human history, entire nations could come into direct contact with each other. Such contacts arose during migrations, mass flights from natural disasters, during forceful divisions of territories, and exchanges.

Residents of the world's first state (Egypt) traded with neighboring tribes 5 thousand years ago, buying wood, metals, and livestock from them in exchange for handicraft and agricultural products. They also organized expeditions for the economic development of new lands. At the same time, the tribes living on the territory of Russia exchanged goods with neighboring tribes.

Merchants of services began to join international trade in goods. Phoenician and Greek merchants not only traded goods throughout the Mediterranean, but also provided services for the transportation of goods and foreign passengers.

The region of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, together with the adjacent countries of Western Asia, became the region of the world where the core of the world economy originated in ancient times. Gradually, other economic regions of the world joined it - first South Asia, then Southeast and East Asia, Russia, America, Australia and Oceania, and regions of Tropical Africa.

The active spread of market relations, the great geographical discoveries of the 15th – 17th centuries, the emergence of the machine industry and modern means of transport and communication in the 19th century made a great contribution to the development of world trade in goods and services.

The expeditions of Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Ermak expanded the limits of the world market many times over, adding new regions to it. Economic ties with these regions strengthened after the start of mass factory production of finished products in the 19th century. first in Western Europe and then in North America, Russia and Japan. These were simple and cheap consumer goods. Their sales were facilitated by steamships, railways, and telegraphs.

As a result, by the end of the 19th century. A global market for goods and services has emerged. Russia acted there primarily as an exporter of grain and other agricultural products, as well as timber to Western Europe, and a supplier of finished products to Asian countries. Imported Western European finished products, materials and semi-finished products.

At the same time, the movement of production factors (capital, labor, entrepreneurial abilities, technology) intensified throughout the world.

Flows of economic resources went in one direction - from the most developed countries to the less developed. British, French, Belgian, Dutch and German capital were a noticeable element of capital accumulation in America and Russia; emigrants from Europe mastered the expanses of North America, South Africa, and Australia.

Then the process of moving economic resources became more complex: capital, entrepreneurial skills and technology began to be not only imported, but also exported by moderately developed countries, and underdeveloped countries also actively participated in the export of labor. As a result, the international movement of factors of production becomes reciprocal.

After the world economy took shape at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it underwent significant changes.

1st period – from the beginning of the First World War to the beginning of the 50s. XX century It is characterized by the curtailment of world economic ties (wars, revolutions, the crisis of the 30s) combined with their partial restoration in the 20s. and after the Second World War.

2nd period – 50-70s. The emergence of integration groups (EU, CMEA), the process of transnationalization is underway, the active movement of technologies, entrepreneurial abilities and capital is underway, the world market for loan capital has recovered. Socialist and developing states began to claim a special role in the world economy.

3rd period – 80-90s. Developed countries are moving into the era of post-industrialization, many developing countries are overcoming economic backwardness (China and NIS), former socialist countries are moving to a market economy.

The world economy is a historical and political-economic category. This is due to the fact that each specific historical stage of its development corresponds to a certain scale and level of production, internationalization of economic life and socio-economic structure.

The evolution of the world economy spans several centuries and includes a number of stages depending on the level of development of the world economy.

The first stage - XV-XVI centuries. Great geographical discoveries led to the formation of the world colonial system (territorial redistribution of the world) as one of the conditions promoting the economic unification of countries and the rapid development of trade between metropolitan states and colonial states. The latter represented the “periphery” of the world economy (MX). A “price revolution” occurred and the primitive accumulation of capital began. Based on the development of world trade, the world capitalist market arose, the basis for which was the development of manufacturing. However, it was very limited in the scale of trade turnover and remained the sphere of application of merchant capital. Development methods are extensive, based on colonialism.

The second stage - XVII-first half of the XIX century. The formation of the world capitalist market, the origin and development of the international division of labor (ILD). The material basis for the development of MRI was the industrial revolution, bourgeois revolutions and the transition from the manufacturing to the factory production system. This was required by the discovered discrepancy between the individual countries’ own narrow craft and manufacturing production base and the market needs of the MX. A global market has emerged as a form of manifestation of ME. The development of world trade was accompanied by the emergence of other forms of international economic relations, such as the export of capital.

The third stage of development of the world economy is modern - mid-19th - early 20th centuries. This period was characterized by numerous and extremely important processes occurring in the system of MH and MEO. This period began with the industrial revolution and the emergence of mass production. In this regard, there was an increase in the interdependence of the economies of all countries based on MRI and the further development of world trade. Such forms of IEO as international migration of production factors and the global monetary and financial system appeared and began to develop. Such trends in the evolution of the economy have emerged as the internationalization of industry, and then economic life, transnationalization, globalization, international economic integration, global problems of humanity, and scientific and technological progress (STP) have appeared. Intensive development methods have emerged (and the need to strengthen them). Then the world economic system arose for the first time.

The strengthened share capital of Western countries became cramped within the domestic market. In pursuit of new profits, he rushed to other countries. The increased export of capital and widespread international exchange gave rise to international monopolies. They divided among themselves world markets, sources of raw materials and areas of capital investment economically. This was done through contracts, leases, concessions, etc. The division of the world economic space has created the opportunity for big capital to extract monopoly super-profits in the territories of an increasing number of countries. At the same time, this stage in the development of MX was characterized by increased competition and inconsistency between MX and MEO.

The fourth stage - 1914-1930s. - First World War, destruction of production and destruction of human resources; socialist revolution; the global economic crisis (“Great Depression”) and the objective need for state regulation of the economy, the emergence of the theory of J.M. Keynes; severance of economic ties and a tendency towards autarky, violation of the integrity of the world economy; reduction in production and exports by 1.5-2 times.

Fifth stage - 1939-1945. - World War II, economic plunder of states and physical destruction of human resources; the emergence of state regulation of the economy. The emergence of a world socialist economic system (a new breakdown in the structure of the world economy, the formation of two types of “world economies”). The collapse or severance of world economic ties between the two “world economies” in combination with their partial restoration (decrease in the rate of export of capital and goods, complexity and inconsistency of the interaction of the two systems). Post-war reorganization of the IEO and the emergence of international organizations, including the UN, IMF, etc.

Sixth stage - 1950-1960s. - collapse of the world colonial system. The emergence of a large group of developing countries and the formation of new relations between them and the countries of the “first” and “second” world. Further integration of production and capital, strengthening of transnationalization processes. The emergence and development of international economic integration, including CMEA and the EEC. Alignment of levels of economic development in Western countries and increased rivalry between the United States, Western Europe and Japan.

The seventh stage - 1970-1980s. - a sharp drop in the rate of economic growth of the world economy due to “oil shocks” and fuel and energy crises. Strengthening the importance of scientific and technological revolution.

Eighth stage - 1990s - collapse of the world socialist system and the USSR. Strengthening economic interaction and interdependence of countries around the world. The world economy is acquiring the features of a single holistic entity and complementarity. Development and deepening of scientific and technological revolution, internationalization of economic life, international economic integration, transnationalization of MX based on MRI. The intensification of the activities of transnational corporations (TNCs), in essence, means the economic division of the world. This stage is associated with the globalization of the world economy and the transition of key positions in its development to TNCs and transnational banks (TNBs). Globalization of markets.

Modern world social development is characterized by strengthening connections and interaction between countries. The trend towards unification is caused by the need to solve global problems facing humanity, such as the threat of nuclear disaster, environmental problems, healthcare and space. But the deepest basis for strengthening the integrity of the world is the growing interdependence of states in the economic sphere. Not a single country in the world can lay claim to full development if it is not drawn into the orbit of world economic relations.

The emerging world order is increasingly manifesting itself as an economic order. The global economy is gradually becoming a ubiquitous imperative. If previously the world economy was a field in which sovereign states acted, now the world economy is turning into an independent entity operating in the field of nation states.

The modern world economy is heterogeneous. It includes states that differ in social structure, political system, level of development of productive forces and production relations, as well as the nature, scale and methods of international economic relations.

The development and improvement of world economic relations is a rather complex and contradictory process. Its essence is that the movement towards economic independence and strengthening of individual national economies in modern conditions inevitably leads to an ever-increasing internationalization of economic life, an increase in the degree of openness of national economies and an increase in their interdependence based on a further deepening of the international division of labor.

The international community unites states that have their own national and economic identity. The main criteria that distinguish various economic systems are the ability to use advanced technology and production technology, as well as the degree of mastery of the principles of a market economy.

An analysis of retrospective indicators of the world economy as a whole over the last century indicates the unevenness of global economic development. According to statistical data, the main increase in global gross product and foreign trade occurred in the second half of the 20th century. From 1900 to 1950, the absolute volume of total GDP increased approximately 3 times, and world exports of goods increased by the same amount. In the following decades (from 1950 to 2000), world production and exports increased by 6 and more than 11 times, respectively. The average annual growth rate of GDP increased from 2.2% in the first half of the century to 3.7% in the second. It should be noted that world exports of goods, which previously developed at approximately the same pace as world production, have grown over the last almost five decades at more than two times faster than global GDP. It is thanks to the accelerated development of the world economy and trade that there has been a noticeable increase in the overall standard of living of the Earth's population, its provision of food resources and material goods.

With the transition to the post-war stage of restoration and development, the picture became immeasurably more complex. In addition to the fact that there was a twofold increase in the rate of world economic growth and a threefold increase in world trade in the post-war fifty years compared to the previous one, the increase in the scale of the gross product produced in the world was accompanied in these years by profound qualitative changes.

There has been a complete restructuring of the technological base of world production, leading to major shifts in its industrial structure. The dependence of national economies on international trade in goods and services, cross-border movement of capital and labor, export and import of knowledge, technology, and information has sharply increased. The internationalization of production and capital, the enormous expansion of the activities of transnational corporations, and the creation of economic regional associations of countries have become the most important factors of economic growth and development. The overall efficiency of the world economy has increased, which has created objective preconditions for noticeable social progress not only in the developed part of the world, but also on its periphery.

According to the forecast for the development of the world economy until 2015, developed by a team of scientists from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO RAS) under the leadership of RAS Academician V.A. Martynova and corresponding member. RAS A.A. Dynkin, the acceleration of economic growth in the second half of the twentieth century constitutes a fundamental characteristic of the social development of the world at the beginning of the 21st century. The global GDP growth rate is projected to increase from 2.7% in 1989-2000. up to 3.7% in 2001-2015

Since the beginning of the 20th century, several stages can be distinguished in the development of the world economy.

The first stage - 1900-1930. The nature of the first stage was influenced by the following processes and events:

World War I. This led to the orientation of the warring countries towards the primary development of basic sectors of the economy and the concentration of all types of resources (labor, natural, scientific) on building up military potential. On the other hand, countries not directly involved in hostilities dynamically increased their trade turnover due to a large number of military orders.

The first global economic crisis of the general economic situation, which began in the United States with the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange due to overproduction.

The revolution in Russia, which led to the announcement of an economic blockade by the West and its exclusion from world trade.

As a result, in the world economy of the first third of the 20th century, a trend of autarky—national isolation—was formed.

The second stage – 1940-1950. After the Second World War, the formation of two polar economic systems accelerated: the system of capitalist countries (market economy, private ownership of the means of production) and the system of socialist countries (centralized economy, public ownership of the means of production). Structures have emerged that control the interests of these systems: NATO, the Warsaw Pact. The arms race and the Cold War began. The competitive nature of the existence of the systems of capitalism and socialism has led to a significant diversion of economic resources from peaceful branches of production.

The third stage is the 60s of the last century. Acquisition of political independence by colonial countries (mainly African countries). Although these countries are still dependent on the economic situation in industrialized countries. At this stage, regional integration groupings are being formed.

The fourth stage is the 70s. There is a comparison of the levels of economic development between the USA, Japan and Germany. This is confirmed by the fact that the yen and the German mark are acquiring the status of international units of account, along with the American dollar. During this period of time, there was active penetration of foreign capital into the US domestic markets.

Fifth – late 80s. The socialist production system collapsed. On the one hand, this led to positive trends, which manifested itself in the relief of international tension, on the other hand - to negative ones - the crisis of the national economies of post-socialist countries.

The sixth stage in the development of the world economy (1990 - present) is characterized by the activation of existing and the formation of new integration structures - the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA) in 1994, the Common European Space (EEA) - 1993, the intergovernmental organization of the Asian -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) - 1989. This period in the development of the world economy indicates the globalization of economic processes. On the other hand, the strengthening of regional trends is clearly visible, which in turn is manifested in the growing importance of the activities of transnational corporations (TNCs) (in the 90s, the foreign trade turnover of TNCs was three times higher than the global one).

More on topic 1.1. Stages of development of the world economy:

1. 11.2.1. The essence and main stages of development of world trade
2. World economy: stages of development and sectoral structure

General characteristics and stages of formation of the world economy

Factors influencing the dynamics of the world economy

Current trends in the development of the world economy

The life of humanity, with all its heterogeneity,

Became united. An event that took place in a remote

corner of any point on any continent is reflected and

has consequences - large and small - in a number of other places,

everywhere on the surface of the Earth.

V.I.Vernadsky

Question 1. General characteristics and stages of formation of the world economy

As a result of economic evolution, a completely new economic system on a global scale has been created, which is called a mega-economy. Almost no one now denies the existing unity of many world processes. It has been clearly understood since the time of our great compatriot Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky, whose words served as the epigraph to the lesson. Vladimir Ivanovich considered the earth to be a kind of unified and, as it were, living geological-ecological organism.

By broad definition,world economy is the totality of all national economies in the world.

By narrow definition–the totality of only those parts of the national economy that interact with the outside world.

However, the difference between the two definitions is becoming less noticeable, since in any country there are fewer and fewer industries and sub-sectors that do not interact with the outside world directly or indirectly, for example, through those sectors of the national economy that actively trade on the foreign market.

Naturally, the emergence of a mega-economy, like any new entity that appears as a result of evolutionary processes, cannot be dated with absolute certainty.

It was the result of the gradual accumulation of properties and characteristics that appeared in the depths of the world economy throughout the second half of the 20th century.

However, to fully understand the essence of the modern world economy, the main features and development trends, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the stages of formation and development of the world economy.

Table 1 – Stages of formation and development of the world economy

First stage From the point of view of the scope of world economic relations, historically, economic relations were the first to be formed, linking together the economic integrity of the Roman Empire. An integral world economy began to take shape, albeit in a rudimentary form. The first worldwide not only military-political, but also economic empire was the Roman Empire. And it was characterized by significant integrity of economic relations, although, of course, this integrity was based on a primitive international division of labor, which in turn was determined by the level of development of the productive forces (slave labor, tools, the nature of the division of labor), etc. At the same time, however, Rome as a world economic power embodied almost all the elements of the communist community, and slavery, and mature feudalism, and classical absolutism, and the inviolability of private property - a principle established in Rome and which finally triumphed under capitalism already in the 18th century. XIX centuries, and even equality of people (for citizens of Rome). The foundations of civil legal relations in Rome were so polished that many norms operate in modern countries almost unchanged (the Napoleonic Code of 1807 included entire articles from Roman law - the Justinian Code).

Second phase The formation of the world economy is characterized by a time of great geographical discoveries, the development of new territories, the involvement of entire continents in the system of the international world economy was accompanied by the slave trade, violence, and the physical destruction of millions of people - representatives of indigenous peoples. A striking feature of this stage are local and world wars.

Third stage is characterized by the fact that the decisive factor in the formation of MRI as the basis of the world economy was the industrial revolution that occurred in European countries, as well as the established world colonial system of the 19th century. Since then, it can be considered that the world economy has emerged as a set of national economies participating in the MRI and interconnected by stable and mutually dependent connections. By the beginning of the 20th century, the world was divided into industrialized countries and colonies. Colonial and dependent countries were assigned the role of a market for the industrial goods of the metropolises and suppliers of cheap raw materials and labor. International economic relations were built on the principle of metropolis - colony. The metropolises used any means to prevent competitors from entering their territories. Even neighboring colonial and dependent countries that were part of various empires had practically no connections with each other.

The fourth period characterized by instability and spontaneity of economic ties that flourished and faded. The reason for this was frequent economic crises caused by objective socio-political processes.

The First World War led to the destruction of productive and human resources and the transfer of national economies to a war footing (i.e., national economies were deformed and trade and other ties were stopped).

In the early 30s. XX century Western Europe and the United States were gripped by a powerful economic and political crisis, the Great Depression, which led to an increase in the importance of national production and sales spheres (all attention was focused on domestic aggregate demand and domestic aggregate supply).

Fifth – sixth stages. The main distinguishing feature of this stage is the split of the world economy into two parts: the administrative-command system (the system of socialism) and the market system (the system of capitalism). The first was based on the complete nationalization of industry, agriculture, and the service sector, a strictly centralized management system, and the complete absence of market mechanisms. The second is freedom of entrepreneurship, the idea of ​​liberalism, the prevalence of market mechanisms for regulating all economic relations.

The two systems practically did not cooperate with each other, but functioned in a mode of peaceful coexistence.

Fundamental changes in the world economic system and international economic system occurred after the formation of the USSR and its new political and economic system. It was difficult for the country, with its orientation towards the fight against imperialist exploitation, to “fit” into the then existing IEO system. The ideological guidelines of the Soviet Union made our economy “closed” to these relations. Even during the years of the common struggle against Nazi Germany, political and military, but not economic, cooperation was established between the USSR and its Western allies.

Among the factors influencing production, competition in the military field should be highlighted, since the struggle for superiority stimulated technical progress and the deployment of scientific and scientific research. At the same time, the militarization of the economy led to the formation of a number of industries in a stable market financed from the state budget. Successes in the USSR in the development of astronautics, aircraft manufacturing, electric power, fundamental scientific research and education led to the stimulation of scientific and technical progress in Western countries.

In the conditions of coexistence of world systems, under the influence of the demonstration effect of solving social problems in socialist countries (lack of unemployment, free education, healthcare, social insurance, etc.), the influence of the struggle of working people in capitalist countries for their rights on the economic development of these countries has increased (wage growth , expansion of effective demand of the population, increase in the capacity of the domestic market).

The dynamics of production were significantly influenced by the increased concentration of production and capital. Monopoly-type corporations began to appear in the economies of developed countries. TNCs (transnational corporations form international production complexes, including the creation, sale, movement of goods, payments and lending) become an important element of the world economy during this period.

Stimulated the rise of industrial production and the development of foreign economic relations. In the post-war years, the growth of world trade turnover outpaced the growth of industrial production: Western Europe (Germany, Italy, England, France), Japan, USA. Integration has also become a development factor.

In the 60s XX century The colonial system is collapsing, and along with it, developing countries - former colonies - are beginning to play an important role in the world economy. Relations of colonial dependence were replaced by more diverse “North-South” ones, including the withdrawal of private entrepreneurial capital, the provision of assistance to former colonies, and the development of mutual trade.

The collapse of the colonial system had a direct impact on the economic development of capitalist countries - metropolises (England, France, the Netherlands, Belgium). Former colonies and dependent countries gained political independence and became active subjects of the IEO. However, most decolonized countries remained in dire straits. Here it would be appropriate to quote a statement from Disraeli, who notes that colonies do not cease to be colonies because they have gained independence. Indeed, the problem of colonial underdevelopment was transformed into a problem of “periphery”, relative backwardness in comparison with the former metropolises increased, economic, technological, and financial dependence negated political sovereignty, and the outflow of resources towards more developed countries continued.

Seventh stage 70s XX century characterized by the convergence of the levels of development of the United States and Western Europe. US economic dominance in the world has degenerated into a multipolar system: USA - Western Europe - Japan. During this period, there was a decrease in the rate of economic growth in industrialized countries. Main reasons:

World economic crisis of 1974-1975.

The reduction in the scale of technical improvement of production led to a decrease in the average annual growth rate of labor productivity.

Structural crises:

global energy (a sharp increase in the cost of oil and petroleum products as a result of the aggravation of the political situation in the Near and Middle East, the artificial provocation of a shortage of energy resources by American and British oil companies);

raw materials (rapid growth in prices for raw materials due to a shortage of many types of raw materials on the world market and the aggravation of socio-economic contradictions between developed and developing countries);

food (grain shortage due to crop failure in 1972 and 1974, rising prices);

environmental (predatory exploitation of natural resources has reached such a scale that it causes irreparable or difficult to eliminate damage to the natural environment, which threatens public health, becomes a brake on the increase in food resources, the growth of industrial production. Global climate change, air, sea and fresh water pollution, acid rain , hazardous substances, destruction of forests). The environmental crisis is evidence of the deeply contradictory nature of the use of scientific and technical progress achievements. The United States accounts for 40% of global environmental pollution.

Functional crises:

monetary and financial crisis,

international debt crisis,

gigantic inflation

Crisis of government regulation.

Eighth stage Distinctive features of this stage of development of the world economy are the expansion of economic space at the expense of previously undeveloped territories (Kenya, Zaire, Cote de Ivoire); pronounced interdependence of states, the collapse of the world system of socialism, which led to a radical change in the geopolitical situation throughout the world, the transition of most states of the world to a market economy.

The collapse of the socialist system is the most significant event of the late 20th century. Centralized directive planning became increasingly ineffective. Planning authorities were not able to quickly respond to the diversification of economic sectors and could not stimulate the expansion of the range and improvement of product quality. There was a slowdown in the average annual growth rate of the total social product in all welfare states, a decrease in production efficiency and labor productivity.

The loss of the undivided influence of communist parties on society became more obvious, and political liberalism with the idea of ​​​​the benefits of free enterprise became popular.

Main forms of transition to a market economy:

- “shock therapy” - rapid radical reforms (classic version - in Poland, in Russia);

- “evolutionary path” - a gradual, slow transition to a new society (China, Hungary).

For developing countries 80s-90s. XX century became a time of growing external debt. By the end of the 80s. it was clear that new methods of solving the problem of extremely high debt could not be avoided. Were applied:

1. re-echeloning method - postponing the debt repayment date to a later date (more than 180 re-echeloning agreements);

2. the method of introducing a moratorium is the complete exemption of some of the poorest states from debt repayment;

3. “Brady” method - creation by creditor banks of cash reserves to cover “doubtful loans”.

Modern stage The development of the world economy is significant, first of all, for the global nature of world economic relations and the internationalization of the economy. It is more than obvious that the world economy and its international balance will be decisively influenced in one way or another by various factors and uncertainties, resulting in the main international development trends.

Let's highlight some of them:

1. US dominance

2. Europe's international positions,

3. the rapidly growing power of China, some countries in Latin America, as well as Japan and Asia (India).

4. a trend towards new integration within the CIS, which is developing latently in most countries contrary to the will and activities of their official leaders. One way or another, such a process will inevitably happen

develop (under the new leaders of the CIS) and regardless of whether it covers all or only a number of states, the new powerful economic association will also play a noticeable role on the world stage.

5. There is also no doubt about the revival on a new basis of cooperative ties between the new states of Eurasia and a number of Eastern European countries, despite their rapid rapprochement with the structures of the European Union and NATO.

6. The “China factor” can quite quickly overturn the “unipolar world” (with US dominance). Again, a tendency towards a “bipolar and multipolar world” is emerging; accordingly, a new balance can be restored in the world economy and in world politics.

7. In addition to the Asia-Pacific region, which has been developing particularly rapidly in recent decades, but experienced a financial and economic crisis in 1997, it is necessary to take into account the geopolitical and economic significance of Latin America, whose states are gradually reaching a new level of economic development, liberating themselves, albeit with with great difficulty, from the previous large-scale debt to developed countries. If we keep in mind the integration processes taking place on this continent, it becomes obvious that the importance of this region in international economic relations tends to increase. Moreover, expanding transoceanic connections and cooperative relations will largely determine the future situation in the global economy of the Old World.

8. An important geopolitical factor, as well as a factor in the global economy, is the African continent and the trends associated with it. Currently, it is still torn by wars, civil strife, and people experience enormous difficulties with housing, food, healthcare, children's education, etc. However, it is no coincidence that the Dark Continent is the object of close attention of the entire world community in terms of not only the provision of various assistance, but also its growing position in the world economy. Africa is also a huge storehouse of mineral and energy resources, the use of which over time will have an increasing impact on the entire world economy.

9. Of growing importance in the global economy is Arabic factor. The financial and production potential of Arab countries is clearly underestimated and appears to be erroneous. Overcoming disunity on the basis of regional integration is perhaps an important necessary link in the policies of Arab countries, primarily for the growth of internal incentives for economic growth.

10. The diversity of global political and socio-economic development in the world is perceived, firstly, through the complex, contradictory interaction of industrialized countries and the states of Eurasia and Central Europe, and secondly, through the active involvement of economically underdeveloped countries located in some distance from the epicenters of world politics and the world economy, although the politics of “small countries” are increasingly woven into the fabric of the politics of world centers.

11. The main trend in the development of world productive forces (factors of production) is the intensification of the processes of internationalization, transnationalization and integration - processes leading to the real formation of the world economy as a universal global economic integrity. However, the opposite process is also objectively developing - a global tendency towards the socialization of economic life, denial of unlimited private property, denial of the right of a small group of individuals to control the general economic system. The role of regional (zonal) associations of countries in the global economy is great. The process of integration of closest neighbors is called economic regionalism. In Europe, such an association is the European Union, on the American continent - NAFTA, in the Eurasian space - the CIS, in Asia - ASEAN. Less integrated are such zonal associations as APEC, MERCOSUR, and the Manu River Union. The forms of regional associations are also different: free trade zone, customs union, common market, economic union, political union.

12. At the end of the 20th century, international corporations, which are economic associations consisting of a parent corporation and foreign branches, began to play a leading role in the world economy, which, together with TNB, continue to play a crucial role in the development of the world economy. In the 21st century TNCs are the main investors, stimulators of international capital flows, engines of scientific and technological progress (as they carry out R&D and produce high-tech products).

The leading role of international corporations is associated with their objective advantages: access to cheap natural resources, the use of cheap labor, the ability to accumulate and redistribute capital throughout TNCs, access to complete information about the state of national markets, with a rational, constantly optimizing organizational structure. Thus, TNCs make full use of the achievements of the international division of labor, which at one time was the material basis for the emergence and development of the world economy. The most famous TNCs: Ford, IBM, Toshiba, Soca-Cola, Mk. Donaid's", "Nestle", "Toyota Motors". Today, many of them work closely together, creating international strategic alliances. A major role today is played by corporations involved in new information technologies and controlling the information network in various regions of the world.

13. Modern world development determines trends towards cooperation and interdependence, convergence and globalization; it is characterized by a general movement towards a single, interconnected, interdependent and in each part a more developed and socially just world. Deviations from this global trend are local conflicts in the zone of the former USSR, in the Balkans, in other parts of the planet, the causes of which require their own analysis, perhaps , and from the standpoint of the disruption of the global balance between the two superpowers that developed in the post-war decades.

Thus, modern world development is simultaneously accompanied by the formation of specific interests of political supergroups that do not coincide with global trends and interests of all peoples of the world.

Globalization is, of course, the key term of our era; if we analyze economic, environmental, sociological and political science scientific and journalistic works, then this term will come to one of the first places in terms of frequency of use.

There are a great variety of approaches to defining the essence globalization , but in our opinion, the most understandable definition is a complex of interconnected processes occurring on a planetary scale, each of which has self-regulation mechanisms.

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Since the second half of the 20th century, due to the rapid economic development of the leading industrial countries and the improvement of means of international transport and communications, international trade has developed rapidly.

Economic integration has become a logical result of the development of international trade and the international movement of factors of production - it is a special stage in the internationalization of economic life, a characteristic feature of the current stage of development of the world economy.

At the end of the 20th century. it has become a powerful tool for accelerating the development of regional economies and increasing the competitiveness in the world market of countries that are members of integration groups.

The word "integration" comes from the Latin. integratio - replenishment or integer - whole.

International economic integration is the process of merging the economies of neighboring countries into a single economic complex based on stable economic ties between their companies.

Regional economic integration, which has become most widespread, may in the future become the initial stage of global integration, i.e. mergers of regional integration associations.

Economic integration is characterized by some significant features which together distinguish it from other forms of economic interaction between countries:

Interpenetration and interweaving of national production processes;

Wide development of international specialization and cooperation in production, science and technology on the basis of the most progressive and deep forms;

Profound structural changes in the economies of participating countries;

The need for targeted regulation of the integration process, the development of a coordinated economic strategy and policy;

Regionality of the spatial scale of integration.

Rice. 1.1. – Regional integration groupings

EU - European Union

EFTA – European Free Trade Association

SES – common economic space

CIS – Commonwealth of Independent States

BSEC – Black Sea Economic Cooperation

OAS - Organization of American States

CARICOM - Caribbean Community and Caribbean Common Market

NAFTA – North American Free Trade Area

MERKOUR – Southern Common Market

APEC - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations

CAEE - Council for Arab Economic Unity

ECO – Economic Cooperation Organization

EUDEAK – Economic Union of Central African States

ECOWAS - Economic Union of West African States

SADC - Economic Union of Southern African States

COMESA - Economic Union of Eastern and Southern African States

The prerequisites are as follows:

The proximity of the levels of economic development and the degree of market maturity of the integrating countries. With few exceptions (NAFTA), interstate integration develops either between industrialized or developing countries ;

Geographical proximity, the presence of a common border and economic ties;

Commonality of economic and other problems. Economic integration is designed to solve a set of specific problems that countries actually face;

Demonstration effect. In countries that have created integration associations, positive changes usually occur (acceleration of economic growth, lower inflation, increased employment, etc.), which has a certain psychological impact on other countries. The demonstration effect was manifested, for example, in the desire of the countries of the former USSR to become members of the EU as quickly as possible, even without macroeconomic prerequisites for this;

"Domino effect". After most countries of a particular region have become members of integration associations, the remaining countries that remain outside are experiencing some difficulties associated with the reorientation of the country's economic ties. This often even leads to a reduction in the country's trade. As a result, they are also forced to join integration groups. For example, after Mexico joined NAFTA, many Latin American countries rushed to enter into trade agreements with it.

Historically, integration evolves through several main stages, each of which indicates the degree of its maturity. In general, 5 stages can be distinguished, each of which is characterized by its own characteristics.

However, along with the expansion of the integration process in the world economy, general global problems that reached their highest point in the 60-70s have not lost their problematic nature. 20th century. Global problems mean problems that require the united efforts of all humanity to be solved.

Fig.1.2. – Global problems of our time

World Economy and International Law

Topic 1. World economy: essence, structure, development trends Questions: World economy and stages of its development. The international division of labor (IDL) is the basis of the world economy. Current trends in the development of the world economy...