This comprehensive introduction to international political economy clearly shows how politics and economics come together in today's global environment. It demonstrates how an understanding of IPE can help make sense of global news, business investments, and government policies—by presenting the theories, institutions, and relationships found in IPE in simple ways that retain the complexity of the world issues and intellectual problems addressed. Chapter titles include Wealth and Power: Mercantilism and Economic Nationalism; "Laissez-Faire, Laissez-Passer:" The Liberal IPE Perspective; Marx, Lenin, and the Structuralist Perspective; International Trade; The International Monetary System; The Global Security Structure; Japan and the Developmental State; The IPE of OPEC and Oil; The IPE of Food and Hunger; and The Environment: the Green Side of IPE. A fundamental look at international relations, global events, and our everyday lives,—for anyone who wants to become a better citizen, and a more knowledgeable individual in the process.