From medieval times there have always been countries that had overwhelming influence in the creation of the norms and rules that governed economic transactions across political units, a role that is currently occupied by the United States. Barkin (political science, U. of Florida) analyzes the phenomena in its general form, attempting to locate the predictors of leadership and its content. He argues that countries that are dominant in international finance are likely to act as economic "leaders," whether they are dominant in other spheres or not. Similarly, when international finance becomes diffuse, the phenomenon is less likely to arise.