Book Reviews : EEC and the Third World A Survey 3, C. Stevens (ed.), Hodder & Stoughton for the ODI/IDS E6.95. The European Community and Development Cooperation, G. Faber, Van Gorcum 1982
| Date | 01 October 1983 |
| DOI | 10.1177/004711788300700612 |
| Published date | 01 October 1983 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
2514
In
Defence
Technology
and
International
Integration,
Taylor
seeks
to
explore
the
extent
to
which
theories
of
international
relations
can
illuminate
a
specific
policy
area
such
as
standardisation
and
so
make
a
contribution
to
the
discussion
of
the
utility
of
theory.
However,
the
bulk
of
the
book
deals,
sometimes
in
considerable
and
well-managed
detail,
with
the
background
to
the
standardisation
debate
and
an
evaluation
of
the
concept,
and
with
the
concepts
of
comparability
and
interoperability,
and
the
conditions
necessary
for
increased
cooperation.
These
include:
the
establishment
of
common
military
requirements;
the
harmonisation
of
replacement
schedules;
United
States
willingness
to
acquire
arms
from
Europe;
the
organisation
of
European
industry
to
compete
effectively
with
the
Americans;
the
availability
of
satisfactory
arrangements
for
technology
transfers;
and
last,
but
by
no
means
least,
the
political
will
to
cooperate,
for,
whatever
the
conclusions
of
any
analysis,
political
choices
finally
determine
the
outcome.
There
is
then,
not
a
sudden
change
of
direction
for
sign
posts
are
dotted
along
the
way
but,
an
interlude,
a
chapter
of
international
theory.
It
sheds
little
light
on
anything
and,
indeed,
does
not
seem
somehow
to
have
been
intended
to
do
so.
It
is
as
if,
despite
appearances
to
the
contrary,
Taylor
wishes
to
use
theory
in
such
a
limited
way
that
it
cannot
but
be
considered
an
irrelevance.
The
position
is
made
worse
by
returning
after
the
theory
chapter
to
an
empirical
discussion
of
a
number
of
issues,
some
of
which,
unfortunately,
repeat or
extend
only
marginally
the
earlier
discussion.
Ultimately,
there
is
a
certain
failure
in
the
organization
of
the
material
which
undermines
the
purpose
of
the
book.
NATO
Arms
Cooperation,
in
the
final
analysis,
also
fails
to
satisfy.
It
is
in
many
respects
a
fairly
vigorous
economic
analysis
of
one
aspect
of
NATO’s
organizational
efficiency.
The
approach
of
asking
simple,
basic
questions
often
brings
out
some
telling
answers
which,
even
if
they
seem
obvious
when
stated,
were
well
worthwhile
putting
down.
One
consequence
of
asking
direct
questions-
the
book
is
based
in
part
on
a
series
of
questionnaires
addressed
to
those
involved
in
industries
and
joint
projects-is
that
very
little
hard
evidence
has
been
at
hand
to
substantiate
the
claims
either
of
those
in
favour
of
or
those
against
greater
standardisation.
Too
often
a
&dquo;Nirvana&dquo;
approach
has
been
adopted
by
the
former
or
&dquo;budget-maximising&dquo;
by
vested
interests
on
the
other.
Hartley
tries
to
redress
the
situation
somewhat
by
undertaking
a
study
of
aerospace
to
test
his
hypothesis
on
the
effects
of
alternative
procurement
policies.
However,
the
study
presented
here
is
not
particularly
detailed
and
is
confined
largely
to
the
aircraft
rather
than
the
aerospace
industries.
Approximations
and
estimates
appear
to
be
inevitable.
His
analysis
of
the
savings
on
development
costs,
economies
of
scale,
and
gains
from
trade
and
the
various
options
available,
whether
’go-it-alone’,
joint
projects,
or
off-set
arrangements,
invariably
supply
useful
insights
but
he
is
eventually
obliged
to
come
up
against
the
role
of
&dquo;our
old
friends,
vote-maximising
politicians
and
producer
interest
groups,
including
the
military
establishment
and
other
bureaucratic
and
scientific
advisers&dquo;.
In
their
place
he
would
obviously
prefer
simply
voters
(with
politicians
seemingly
excluded?)
since,
if
they
&dquo;were
presented
with
more
information
on
the
costs
of
alternative
weapons
policies,
they
may
well
question
the
wisdom
of the
current
methods
of
buying
weapons&dquo;.
While
such
support
for
more
open
government
can
only
be
applauded,
the
conclusion
(or
threat?)
begs
a
further
multitude
of
questions
about
public
and
government
attitudes
and
policies
on
defence
which
Dr.
Hartley,
perhaps
wisely,
does
not
attempt
to
answer
here.
EEC
and
the
Third
World
A
Survey
3,
C.
Stevens
(ed.),
Hodder
&
Stoughton
for
the
ODI/IDS
E6.95.
The
European
Community
and
Development
Cooperation
,
G.
Faber,
Van
Gorcum
1982
EEC
and
the
Third
World
is
the
third
of
an
annual
series
of
surveys
edited
by
Christopher
Stevens
of the
ODI/IDS.
Once
again
the
aim
has
been
to
focus
on
key
trends
and
events.
The
theme
for
this
volume
is
the
split
between
the
Atlantic
partners
on
North-South
issues,
although
the
last
part
is
devoted
to
an
examination
of
the
prospects
for
Lome
III.
The
Surveys
have
not
eschewed
controversy
in
the
past,
but
this
book,
unlike
its
predecessors,
seeks
it
out
It
begins
with
statements
from
several
political
figures
including
Willy
Brandt
and
Representative
Lee
H
Hamilton,
Chairman
of
the
House
sub-Committee
on
Europe
and
the
Middle
East
These
statements
cover
global
strategies,
the
place
of
East-West
rivalry
in
North-South
relations,
and
the
positions
of
the
United
States
and
the
European
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