Trade policy has moved from the wings onto center stage. Between 1992
and 2000, US exports rose by 55 percent. By the year 2000, trade summed
to 26 percent of US GDP, and the United States imported almost
two-thirds of its oil and was the world's largest host country for
foreign investors. America's interest in a more open and prosperous
foreign market is now squarely economic. This volume presents cases on
five important trade negotiations, all focused on "making the rules," or
the process of establishing how the trade system would operate. The
cases not only explore the changing substance of trade agreements but
also delve into the negotiation process. They explore not just the what
of trade, but the who, how, and why of decision-making. By examining
some of the most important recent negotiations, the reader can come to
understand not just the larger issues surrounding trade, but how players
seek to exert influence and how the system is evolving on a day-to-day
basis. This book presents a coherent description of the facts that will
allow for discussion and independent conclusions about policies,
politics, and processes.