This new text on global political economy provides a uniquely ranging historical account of the emergence of a worldwide economy since the 15th century combined with a systematic analysis of international political economy today. The book is theoretically informed but, unlike many books in its field, it introduces a range of approaches and shows how these can be applied and how useful they are in tackling--key issues from trade, production, and finance to social divisions, development, and the environment. It concludes by considering global governance and how markets can be regulated to meet human purposes in an increasingly global economy.