Trade in the 21st Century

The World Trade Organization and the multilateral trading regime could soon become relics of the past. The authors of this well-timed volume explain why and how this must be avoided. --Andre Sapir, professor, Universite libre de Bruxelles; senior fellow, Bruegel; and former economic adviser to the president of the European Commission The contributors to this compendium offer a master class on trade. Given the despair over the dismal state of world trade, this volume could have been a requiem for the lost era of free trade. But trade policy experts writing in this volume not only diagnose what went wrong, they present a hopeful roadmap, persuasively showing how to begin a painful return from self-destructive protectionism and resuscitate multilateral cooperation. --Nayan Chanda, founding editor, YaleGlobal; former editor of Far Eastern Economic Review At a time when the international trading system is under threat, this book is a significant contribution. While the world may be weary of speculating on the near- and longer-term trade posture of the United States, it remains inescapably important. If you want to understand what has transpired in U.S. trade policy--rational and irrational--read this book! --Merit E. Janow, dean, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University At a time when protectionism is breaking out worldwide and we need to fight it to save globalized trade from being undermined, we need heroes to inspire us. Patrick Messerlin, who indulged in a solitary fight against French protectionists, is just such a hero. This volume, written by many admirers to celebrate his achievements, shows why. --Jagdish Bhagwati, University Professor, Columbia University; author of In Defense of Globalization