STEEP: Social-Technology-Economy-Politics

In this combination we consider really old questions in political economy and the tools that various parties have. In the area of political economy, we look at the relationships between business, governments, and workers. We look at the welfare systems, and see where the balance of power might be domestically.

At the international context, we can look at this through the prism of national competitiveness, and can look at this through the lens of comparative advantage, supply chains, and also, things such as military technology superiority.

In the domestic context, the political economy frame looks at how the technological paradigm and welfare paradigm might be beneficial to either workers or business, and the positioning of the government. The government after all, needs support from most people, who are workers, although at the same time, companies are the main economic units driving prosperity and jobs.

The global economic structure is still dependent on the production and consumption of goods and services in the advanced countries, though of course China is the important piece of the global production and consumption chain, though more of the former rather than the latter. The combined economic and political left of the United States, Europe, and Japan is still dominant. The three are still technological leaders in…