ABSTRACT
Theheadsofstateandgovernmentofthesixmostpowerfulnationsmetforthefirst timein1975,inRambouillet,France,withtheobjectiveofrestoringeconomicand financialstabilityaftertheturbulencecreatedbythebreakdownoftheBrettonWoods system.TheleadersofFrance,theUnitedStates,theUnitedKingdom,Germany,and Japancontinuedtomeetannuallysincethen,alongwiththeleadersofltalyandCanada, althoughthemainthemesoftheirdeliberationschangedthroughtime.Morerecently, thefocusofG7andlatelyG8summits(afterRussiawasaddedin1998)hasbeenon issueslinkedtothefightagainstglobalpoverty,environmentalandfoodsafety,and internationalsecurity.Theeconomicdimensionhasbeensharplyreduced.
