Who's Afraid of the WTO?Oxford University Press, 2004 M01 29 - 248 pages Who is afraid of the WTO, the World Trade Organization? The list is long and varied. Many workers--and the unions that represent them--claim that WTO agreements increase import competition and threaten their jobs. Environmentalists accuse the WTO of encouraging pollution and preventing governments from defending national environmental standards. Human rights advocates block efforts to impose trade sanctions in defense of human rights. While anti-capitalist protesters regard the WTO as a tool of big business--particularly of multinational corporations--other critics charge the WTO with damaging the interests of developing countries by imposing free-market trade policies on them before they are ready. In sum, the WTO is considered exploitative, undemocratic, unbalanced, corrupt, or illegitimate. This book is in response to the many misinformed, often exaggerated arguments leveled against the WTO. Kent Jones explains in persuasive and engaging detail the compelling reasons for the WTO's existence and why it is a force for progress toward economic and non-economic goals worldwide. Although protests against globalization and the WTO have raised public awareness of the world trading system, they have not, Jones demonstrates, raised public understanding. Clarifying the often-muddled terms of the debate, Jones debunks some of the most outrageous allegations against the WTO and argues that global standards for environmental protection and human rights belong in separate agreements, not the WTO. Developing countries need more trade, not less, and even more importantly, they need a system of rules that gives them--the smaller, weaker, and more vulnerable players in world trade--the best possible chance of pursuing their trade interests among the larger and more powerful developed countries. Timely and important, Who's Afraid of the WTO? provides an overview of the most important aspects of the world trading system and the WTO's role in it while tackling the most popular anti-WTO arguments. While Jones does not dismiss the threat that recent political protests pose for the world trading system, he reveals the fallacies in their arguments and presents a strong case in favor of the WTO. |
From inside the book
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Page 11
... In addition , the targeting of commercial and government buildings has increased insurance and security costs for business and public properties in general . Most of the Western economies were already either in recession Introduction 7.
... In addition , the targeting of commercial and government buildings has increased insurance and security costs for business and public properties in general . Most of the Western economies were already either in recession Introduction 7.
Page 11
... costs of supporting terrorism consist of isolation and the forgone economic benefits of trade and growth . At the same time , strengthened international organizations can bring pressure to bear on their member states — once they are ...
... costs of supporting terrorism consist of isolation and the forgone economic benefits of trade and growth . At the same time , strengthened international organizations can bring pressure to bear on their member states — once they are ...
Page 22
... costs . As a result , global production patterns have shifted , based in part on changing comparative advantage ( more on that in chapter 2 ) and more open markets . While the result is often one of increased special- ization within ...
... costs . As a result , global production patterns have shifted , based in part on changing comparative advantage ( more on that in chapter 2 ) and more open markets . While the result is often one of increased special- ization within ...
Page 28
... costs and more lax environmental protection . In response to these political pressures , many developed - country governments had in recent years attempted to introduce labor and environmental standards as legitimate trade policy issues ...
... costs and more lax environmental protection . In response to these political pressures , many developed - country governments had in recent years attempted to introduce labor and environmental standards as legitimate trade policy issues ...
Page 30
... costs and benefits of economic sovereignty in a global economy , the subjects of chapters 4 and 5 . Finally , there are complaints about the internal governance of the WTO , which came painfully to light at the Seattle ministerial ...
... costs and benefits of economic sovereignty in a global economy , the subjects of chapters 4 and 5 . Finally , there are complaints about the internal governance of the WTO , which came painfully to light at the Seattle ministerial ...
Contents
15 | |
33 | |
The Adjustment Problem and Protectionism | 48 |
Whose Trade Organization? | 66 |
The WTO and National Sovereignty | 92 |
Trade Policy and the Environment | 105 |
Human Rights Labor Rights and Trade Policy | 125 |
WTO and the Interests of Developing Countries | 147 |
NGOs Multinationals and Global Trade Governance | 167 |
Conclusion The Gains from Trade and the Global Commons | 186 |
Notes | 203 |
Bibliography | 215 |
Index | 229 |
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Common terms and phrases
adjustment agenda anti-WTO anti-WTO protests benefits capital chapter compliance consensus costs country's debate decision developing countries discussion dispute settlement Doha Doha Round domestic economic growth enforcement environment European Union example export firms foreign framework free trade gains from trade GATT global environmental goals governments groups human rights import competition increased industries institutions interests international trade investment labor rights labor standards laws lobbying market access measures member countries ment MNCs multilateral trade multinational corporations NGOs nomic nontrade issues panel participation political poor countries principle problem production protection protectionism protectionist regard role Seattle social sovereignty tariffs tend tion tional trade agreements trade liberalization trade negotiations trade restrictions trade rules trade sanctions typically U.S. Congress unilateral United Uruguay Round violations wages workers world economy World Trade Organization world trading system WTO agreement WTO dispute WTO members WTO membership WTO rules WTO system WTO's
Popular passages
Page 106 - Measures taken to combat climate change, including unilateral ones, should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade.
Page 100 - The dispute settlement system of the WTO is a central element in providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system.
Page 106 - Trade policy measures for environmental purposes should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade. Unilateral actions to deal with environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of the importing country should be avoided.
Page 24 - For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul* Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?
Page 143 - Stresses that labour standards should not be used for protectionist trade purposes, and that nothing in this Declaration and its follow-up shall be invoked or otherwise used for such purposes; in addition, the comparative advantage of any country should in no way be called into question by this Declaration and its follow-up.
Page 100 - Recommendations and rulings of the DSB cannot add to or diminish the rights and obligations provided in the covered agreements.
Page 150 - The development problem of the less developed countries is one of converting a "traditional" society predominantly based on subsistence or near-subsistence agriculture and/or the bulk export of a few primary commodities, in which per capita income grows slowly or may even be declining as a result of population pressure, into a "modern...
Page 106 - Considering that there should not be, nor need be, any policy contradiction between upholding and safeguarding an open, nondiscriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system on the one hand, and acting for the protection of the environment, and the promotion of sustainable development on the other...
Page 68 - Organization (UNESCO), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), the International Monetary Fund (IMF...
References to this book
Ethics, Liberalism and Realism in International Relations Mark D. Gismondi No preview available - 2008 |