Global Public Goods and East Asia

Abstract

Exemplifying a broad category of global public goods concerned with safeguarding human security, Chapter 5 focused on one such activity — the campaign to curb nuclear proliferation. The chapter concluded that although hardly devoid of setbacks and formidable ongoing challenges, US leadership in counter-proliferation had broadly succeeded in rendering a veritable tinderbox somewhat less explosive. Continuing with the broader theme of hegemonic stability, this chapter adopts a regional perspective on global public goods provision. Owing to its growing weight in the world economy, East Asia receives the spotlight here as a lead example of the more generalized regional impact of US power.