Drawing on the expertise of an internationally renowned group of authors, this monograph examines the complex political, social and institutional problems encountered by modern states seeking to manage their agricultural sectors. Using examples from regions around the globe including Scandinavia, New Zealand, China and Germany, the book delves into topics as diverse as agribusiness and corporatism, regulation of agriculture, productivist paradigms, politics of agricultural change, agricultural deregulation, retailing in a regulatory state, managed versus liberalised markets, the national politics of international trade reform and principles of the GATT agreement from the agricultural perspective.