Influence of Small States on Superpowers

Richard Bernal was Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States and permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) for more than ten years.

• Chapter 1: Objective and OrganizationChapter 2: Small Sates in International RelationsChapter 3: Jamaica-U.S. Relations Chapter 4: How Foreign Governments Influence US Foreign PolicyChapter 5: Foreign Aid and Debt ReliefChapter 6: Counter Narcotics CooperationChapter 7: Caribbean Basin Trade Legislation Chapter 8: Conclusions and Lessons

Bernal . . . emphasizes the importance of doing one’s homework, building trust with important policy players, and identifying mutual interests. Interestingly, Bernal argues that information technology empowers small states by decreasing their transaction costs and increasing their capacity to mobilize constituencies.