The WTO and the Multilateral Trading System: Past, Present and Future Book

The book identifies the distinct trends that have characterized the historical progression of the multilateral trading system, from the formulation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1947 through the WTO's inception in 1995 to the present day. It examines how the GATT/WTO framework has traditionally been used by the major industrial nations to pursue their own economic and political interests, at the expense of Third World countries' development prospects. Looking to the future, the author advances concrete suggestions for radical reform in the basic structure, rules and practices of the trade body, and other institutional, governmental and non-governmental actors. The analysis and proposals laid out in this book are grounded in a practical perspective aimed at yielding the cooperation and mutual gain among nations that are required to harvest the full benefits of international trade.Read More