Summary
Symposium: The United States and the World Economy
The US appears to be promoting GATT and free trade for primarily selfish reasons. The US pushed for a regional trading bloc with Canada as a means of forcing the once reluctant EC into GATT discussions. However, the US appears likely to continue relying on such tactics even after GATT is ratified and truly free, multilateral trade has been established. US negotiators alternately push for free trade and regionalism depending on the interests of the US economy. The international pursuit of free trade for its own sake is likely to overtake American political leaders, who focus too much on domestic concerns.See the full content of this document
Extract
The world trading system.
The Uruguay Round is closing this week after a marathon of negotiations stretching well over seven years; so the timing of this panel is exquisite, from my viewpoint. The ceremony, besides, is in Marrakech, an exotic place that sets our minds racing with thoughts of "Casablanca," Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Indeed, one can imagine a movie being made of this historic occasion that will transform the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) into the World Trade Organization (WTO), with Peter Ustinov cast as Peter Sutherland, the brilliant and portly new director general of the GATT who finally brought the round to successful conclusion, Dustin Hoffman playing our own inimitable Mickey Kantor, and perhaps Al Pacino as the elega...
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