POL 4410: Week Five Trade Treaties
Structure 1. Theories of Trade Treaties 2. History of Global Trade Treaties 3. Regional Trade Treaties
Trade Theories 1. Neoclassical Economic Theory 2. Interest Group Theory 3. Realist / Mercantilist Theory
Neoclassical Theory Comparative Advantage vs. Absolute Advantage AUTARKY ClothSoap Britain164 Italy32 TOTAL196 FREE TRADE ClothSoap Britain240 Italy08 TOTAL248
Interest Groups Losers from trade may try to block free trade and to impose tariffs. ‘Protection for sale’ Treaties as commitment devices
Realism / Mercantilism States sign treaties for two reasons: (1) To bully other weaker states (2) Because treaties don’t matter
Types of Trade Policy 1. Unliateral Policy 2. Bilateral Deals 3. Multilateral Institutions
Trade Treaties pre- WWII Cobden Chevalier in 1860 MFN Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act in 1934
GATT Founded in 1948 with 23 members Based on reciprocity and MFN - many exceptions made Series of rounds
WTO Founded in 1995 with 76 members, now 149. Has Dispute Settlement Body Consensus and negotiations EU / US trade disputes
European Union European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 European Economic Community in 1957 European Union in 1992 Tripartite structure: Commission, Council of Ministers, European Parliament
NAFTA and CAFTA 1994 NAFTA founded Chapter 11 and Chapter 19 CAFTA signed 2005
Other regional treaties Asia Pacific economic Cooperation group Mercosur Andean Pact Australia-New Zealand
Lomborg: Anderson Static Gains: inter / intra industry Dynamic Gains: knowledge; faster growth from imported capital goods Why protectionism? What reduces protectionism? Info; tech; foreign openness; trade agreements Costs: social and environmental?
Anderson (2) 1) Free trade; (2) Doha + and APEC (MFN); (3) FTAs (non-MFN); (4) PTAs with ex- colonies. Binding? ; MFN? ; Reciprocal? Free trade = 2*(Doha) = 24 * (FTAA) Trade diversion vs. trade augmentation Bananas and trade diversion $1 / -$1 / -$13
Anderson (3) Gross effects versus net effects Economic costs of reducing tariffs and subsidies. Private and social costs. Concentrated costs and diffuse benefits Poverty, environment, climate change, conflict
Pronk Positive effects of trade on other areas (poverty, health, environment) depend on ‘sustainability conditions’. Trade policy and domestic policy interact Gradualism vs. shock therapy. Sticky costs. Is WTO actually slowing free trade? Two-track liberalization.
Bergstein 1. Bicycle must keep moving 2. Big is beautiful 3. Bulding blocks, not stumbling blocs 4. Money is central 5. Leadership is essential
Ruggie What is ‘embedded liberalism?’ Power and purpose Move from classical liberalism to neoliberalism
Wallace What is Europeanization? Magnetic / Heineken analogies. Importance of history and goeography Neofunctionalism Multi-level governance Territorial, Functional, Affiliational Integration Multiple modes of interaction Impact on domestic politics