The G8 System and the G20: Evolution, Role and Documentation

With the absence of a central G8 secretariat to pull together, disseminate and analyse the document output, there is a great need for making this source material known and available, and to assess it carefully and systematically. As well, there now exists an impressive corpus of analytical and descriptive work, along with personal recollections of major participants and, increasingly, material that is becoming accessible in the archives of member countries. The leaders summits remain at the apex of the G7/G8 system, but the leaders work is complemented by intensifying and expanding networks. Some of these entities, initially launched by the leaders, have taken on a life of their own with an agenda that diverges from the main concerns of the summits. Hajnal pays close attention to these activities for example, the Financial Action Task Force and the DOT Force, the G20 finance ministers forum and the increasing involvement of non-state actors (both civil society and business) with the G8. The purpose of this volume is fourfold: it discusses the origins, characteristics, role and agenda of the G7/G8 system looks at proposals to reform the G7/G8-G20 provides a detailed study of the complex, elusive and changing patterns of documentation of the broader G7/G8-G20 system, including electronic information presents a substantially updated comprehensive bibliography of the G7/G8-G20 and its concerns This follow on to The G7/G8 System by Hajnal is substantially modified. It's not just an update as it includes new material not covered in the previous book University and governmental libraries, scholars and analysts will find this volume highly useful for their research.