The World Trade Organization claims to ‘level the playing field’ for countries and thus promote development, [1] but to what extent do they truly deliver?
For thousands of years, humans traded with each other, and for the majority of those years, trade was unregulated. In 1947, however, following the 1930s trade wars that eventually led to the rise of Hitler and the outbreak of WW2, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was established to “[substantially reduce] tariffs and other trade barriers and the [eliminate] preferences, on a reciprocal and mutually advantageous basis”. [2] Then, in 1995, the World Trade Organization replaced the GATT. Though many criticize the international organization, for its slowness to act, [3] for example, overall, the WTO is a (small) positive force for development. First, I explore some advantages and disadvantages of the WTO on a theoretical level. I then analyse the effects of the WTO in the real world, including its dispute settlement procedures, free trade, and TRIPS agreement. Finally, I weigh the benefits and detriments the organization brings, and conclude.
The World Trade Organisation supposedly drives prices down, promotes peace, equality, and growth. Free trade reduces prices of imported goods. Additionally, it causes countries to be interdependent, so by logic, countries wouldn’t want to fight each other. The organisation also provides a forum where all countries are of equal ground. In WTO conferences, representatives of countries discuss trade regulations to build a plan for everybody to win. And, WTO agreements for Intellectual Property Rights such as the TRIPS also exist to drive development by providing an incentive to innovate. Really, at the theoretical le...
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...Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 06 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.
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The United States has for over two centuries been involved in the growing world economy. While the U.S. post revolutionary war sought to protect itself from outside influences has since the great depression and world war two looked to break trade restrictions. The United States role in the global economy has grown throughout the 20th century and as a result of several historical events has adopted positions of both benefactor and dependent. The United States trade policy has over time shifted from isolationist protectionism to a commitment to establishing world-wide free trade. Free trade enterprise has developed and grown through organizations such as the WTO and NAFTA. The U.S. in order to obtain its free trade desires has implemented a number of policies that can be examined for both their benefits and flaws. Several trade policies exist as options to the United States, among these fair trade and free trade policies dominate the world economic market. In order to achieve economic growth the United States has a duty to maintain a global trade policy that benefits both domestic workers and industry. While free trade gives opportunities to large industries and wealthy corporate investors the American worker suffers job instability and lower wages. However fair trade policies that protect America’s workers do not help foster wide economic growth. The United States must then engage in economic trade policies that both protect the United States founding principles and secure for tomorrow greater economic stability.
This reading for this week was From Goods to a Good Life: Intellectual Property and Global Justice by Madhavi Sunder. The reading I chose to put into convocation with the first article was The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle. In Sunder’s chapter on “Fair Culture”, she specifically references Lessig’s Free Culture, saying that it is insufficient, thereafter extending its claims. Sunder attempts to extend and slightly modify Lessig’s idea by incorporating a thorough analysis of culture and the inequalities in people’s ability to claim intellectual property rights into her argument. On the other hand, Boyle’s article gives a history of what “property” is, the reach of intellectual property rights, and views on intellectual property rights. Like Lessig, Boyle also assumes a largely economic perspective, which differs from Sunder’s cultural perspective.
Even in a world focused on the benefits free trade and aimed at achieving the goal of free trade, states are protectionist by nature. Unfortunately, the design of the international system allows for stronger nations to be more protectionist, leaving the weaker states even more vulnerable. A study that is more intensive than a critical commentary should be devoted to analyzing the impact of free trade on developing nations. I was limited to the readings and prior knowledge, and thus couldn’t provide a sufficient analysis on the fair treatment of developing nations. I was skeptical of the one reading that focused on fairness of international institutions because of the statistics that indicate these nations have not done well in recent decades. I would like to look into this more given more time and resources.
Globalization over the past twenty has become an issue in many countries. This industrialization of second and third world countries by Western Civilization creates many opportunities for the inhabitants. Not only does it expand trading markets, but also promotes productivity and efficiency; thus improving the country and integrating it into the industrial world. This process not only benefits third world counties, but also industrialized nations by allowing them to export goods to the developing world and increase their profit margin.
Following the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 1995 as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The WTO is an international organization that watches over trade relationships between nations dealing with goods, services, intellectual property and investments. The main function of the WTO is “to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible” (“The World Trade Organization”). The WTO helps international cooperation by providing countries with a fair forum for resolving disputes over trade issues. Member countries bring their trade disputes to the WTO rather than acting unilaterally. The organization also strives to lower the cost of living and boost economic growth by reducing protectionism and promoting freer trade. Member countries enjoy the security the trading rules provide, but they are required to commit to opening their markets and abiding by the commitments they agreed to.
Foster, Sharon E. "Prelude to Compatibility between Human Rights and Intellectual Property." Chicago Journal of International Law 9.1 (2008): 171-211. ProQuest.Web. 30 Oct. 2013.
While free trade has certainly changed with advances in technology and the ability to create external economies, the concept seems to be the most benign way for countries to trade with one another. Factoring in that imperfect competition and increasing returns challenge the concept of comparative advantage in modern international trade markets, the resulting introduction of government policies to regulate trade seems to result in increased tensions between countries as individual nations seek to gain advantages at the cost of others. While classical trade optimism may be somewhat naïve, the alternatives are risky and potentially harmful.
Besides, the right to specialist brings the right to join in some level of business area a free market plan that unites exchanging with the embellishments of one's decision, paying gratefulness to national edge.
In order for international trade to work well, governments must allow the world market to determine how goods are sold, manufactured and traded for all to economically prosper. While all nations may have the capability to produce any goods or services needed by their population, it is not possible for all nations to have a comparative advantage for producing a good due to natural resources of the country or other available resources needed to produce a good or service. The example of trading among states comprising the United States is an example of how free trade works best without the interve...
Functionalism: The discord that interest in one reach, (for instance, trade) pushes coordinated effort in distinctive extents. In principle, the pills issue, movement issues, et cetera are all tended to fortnightly
After the failed International Trade Organization, Rodrik discusses the Bretton Woods Agreement, the transition from the General Agreement on Tariffs and T...
Tussie, D., & Aggio, C. (n.d.). Economic and social impacts of trade liberalization. Retrieved from http://www.unctad.info/upload/TAB/docs/TechCooperation/fullreport-version14nov-p106-119.pdf
International trading has had its delays and road blocks, which has created a number of problems for countries around the world. Countries, fighting with one another to get the better deal, create tariffs and taxes to maximize their profit. This fighting leads to bad relationships with competing countries, and the little producing countries get the short end of this stick. Regulations and organizations have been established to help everyone get the best deal, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), but not everyone wants help, especially from an organization that seems to help only the big countries and those they want to trade with. This paper will be discussing international trading with emphasis on national sovereignty, the World Trade Organization, and how the WTO impacts trading countries.
International organizations create space for its members to coordinate interests and actions which helps promote interdependent relationships among them and strengthens their legitimacy. As society has progressed, it has globalized, and in the past 50 years states have had to address their growing dependence, especially in the economic sector. The World Trade Organization (WTO), is an institution which has an immense impact on the international political economy and the way states function within the international system. It organizes agreements and treaties which govern how its members decide policies, tariffs, and keeps states accountable for their actions. For example, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), determines how states can regulate their import and exports. (Hurd 2014,
Moreover, international trade can be more effective in reducing poverty than outright aid in which trade can help any country become self-sufficient, rather than relying on foreign assistance. However, there are, many disparities within the present global trade system that work against poor countries. That is regulated by a set of rules created by governments over the years. In general, poor countries don't have access to developed countries’ markets because of the barriers of trade and agricultural. It’s difficult for poor countries, because of trade barriers, to sell their products abroad and develop their living conditions. While free trade benefits everyone, governments sometimes aim to protect their goods and markets by providing subsidies to local rules and producers, or creating barriers like tariffs and quotas. This particular practice is known as Protectionism; which can be identified as the economic policies and procedures of controlling trade between states...