Brown argues that internal barriers to trade and competition in these countries were significant obstacles to competition in the global economy and shows that the old market rules were rooted in longstanding political and regional compromises. He describes the process of detailed and difficult intergovernmental collaboration required for the EU, and now Canada and Australia, to produce new market rules. The resulting reforms created new regimes that provide deeper and broader national economic integration in Canada and Australia than in the EU. The new rules entrench neo-liberal values, retaining some room for diversity and flexibility for equity goals.

Built on a careful analysis of the differences and similarities in political economy, constitutional design, federal culture, and history of intergovernmental relations in Canada and Australia, Market Rules provides fresh evidence that federal states can be strong and autonomous in the global society, while underscoring the conditions for effective collaboration that make this sustainable. Rich in detail, broad in scope, Market Rules makes a significant contribution to knowledge about federalism and economic policy-making in the era of globalization.

Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queen's University.

Douglas M. Brown's profile page

"An important contribution to the study of contemporary federalism. Brown has an exceptional grasp of the political economy and constitutional background of both federations, an in focusing on the impact of globalization he addresses a critical challenge to all federations. His two-country comparison is enriched and its significance broadened by also working in a comparison of both countries with the European Union. It takes an exceptional scholar to pull off such a complex three-way comparison as Brown has." Peter Russell, Co-editor of Judicial Power and Canadian Democracy
"Sound scholarship and an important contribution to knowledge about economic policy and policy-making and about intergovernmental relations in Canada and Australia." Maureen Covell, Political Science, Simon Fraser University