ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with locating British export credit policy within the broader framework of organisational features of capital, and shows that the banking sector, insurance companies should be considered as part of finance capital as well. In general, the political dimension to export promotion policies has been badly neglected in the studies of economists. Despite the basically liberal-conservative outlook of recent economic policy-making, the various demands to leave export promotion as far as possible to the market have not fundamentally altered these organisational features. In reaction to domestic pressures and international regulations policy measures in Britain have been concentrated on export credit insurance in order to maintain control over an important policy instrument. In the field of aid finance, Britain demonstrates some important differences when compared to its European partners. Hence, in the context of the European Community’s 1992 programme, the export credits guarantee department guarantee section has strongly pushed for the idea of a level playing field throughout Europe.
