Description

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is scarcely ten years old, but it has already generated a mountain of debate, controversy, and outrage. Rulings on beef hormones and tuna-dolphin cases provide explicit examples of how the organization regulates into areas of individual consumer choice, ethical preferences, and cultural habits. The deep and far-ranging impact of the WTO on peoples' everyday lives means that it is not just an institution of interest to economists, but to everyone, a fact that was perhaps most graphically illustrated by the demonstrations that have become a regular feature associated with high-level meetings of the WTO. This book provides a carefully considered explanation of what the WTO is, what it does, and how it goes about executing its tasks, and gives a clear understanding of the mandate, structure, and functioning of the WTO that is essential to appreciating the controversy behind the organization.

Features

• Answers questions such as 'who needs the WTO, and why?'
• Does not shy away from the controversy surrounding the organization, and addresses the question of whether it deserves the reputation it has come to acquire.
• Will appeal to readers with interests in economics, international relations, human rights, and the environment.
• Relies on extensive primary research involving WTO documents and interviews.

About the Author(s)