Chapter 2

Copyright © 2007 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights reserved.

Trade Institutions and Trade Policy

Chapter 2


The Historical Dimension

• Ancient traders.• Rome and the Pax Romana.• European feudalism in the middle ages.• Protectionism in the 1930’s and Smoot-Hawley Act.• The emergence of global division (1945).


Overview of International Business History

• Pax Romana– The “roman peace” ensured that merchants

were able to travel safely and rapidly on roads built, protected, and maintained by the roman legions.

• European feudalism– By delivering a portion of their “earnings” to

a protector, medieval farmers were shielded from the depredations of outsiders. While local economies were largely closed, east-west export /import trade thrived.


Overview of International Business History (Continued)

• Protectionism in the 1930’s and the Smoot-Hawley Act:– The act raised import duties to reduce the

volume of imports into the united states.– The intent increased domestic employment.


Overview of International Business History (Continued)

• The post-war east and west ideological split– The soviet union and the eastern bloc

• Council for mutual economic assistance (CMEA or COMECON).

– 53 western countries• The international trade organization (ITO) - 1948.

• Pax Americana– “American peace” driven by the belief that

international trade was a key to worldwide prosperity.

Global Division (1945)


Transnational Institutions and World Trade

• General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT)• World trade organization (WTO)• International monetary fund (IMF)• World bank• Regional institutions


WTO HomepageTrade Topics

The creation of the WTO has greatly broadened the scope of international trade agreements.


Transnational Institutions and World Trade (Continued)

• GATT focused on reducing prevailing high tariffs• Most-favored nation (MFN) clause

– “Each member country of the GATT must grant every member country the most favorable treatment it accords to any other country with respect to imports and exports.”

• World trade organization (WTO) in 1995– General agreement on trade in services (GATS).– Trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights

(TRIPS).– Trade-related investment measures (TRIMS).


International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• Developed out of the Bretton Woods agreement in 1944.

• Offers gold and constituent currencies available to members for currency stabilization.

• It was the goal originally to provide for fixed exchange rates between countries.


World Bank

• The international bank for reconstruction and development– Formed in 1944, it provides economic assistance

for the reconstruction of war-torn and, more recently, loans to developing countries.


Regional Institutions

• European Coal and Steel Community• Customs Unions• European Union (EU)• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)• Mercosur - Latin America• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)


The Effects of Trade

Czinkota 3.CLP


Policy Responses to Trade Problems

• Voluntary import restrictions• Tariffs• Non-tariff barriers


Export Promotion Efforts Reasons

• National need to earn foreign currency.• Encouragement of domestic employment.• Increase in domestic economic activity

Chapter 2

Documents

Transcript of Chapter 2