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What is New in Protectionism? Consumers, Cranks, and Captives

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  • William A. Kerr

Abstract

The most contentious international trade issues currently arise not from traditional producer requests for protection, but as a result of consumers and other economic agents asking governments to erect trade barriers. The economic model that underpins multilateral trade policy—as manifest in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements—only predicts that firms will lobby for protection, with no provisions for how governments faced with requests for protection from other groups can respond. Consequently, governments have been forced to defend the imposition of trade barriers using spurious justifications; the WTO dispute mechanism has largely dismissed these justifications, and consumers (and others) feel disenfranchised. The result has been a loss of credibility for the WTO and sometimes its demonization. The WTO needs to change but a new economic model must also be developed to deal with a broader spectrum of protectionist interests. À l'heure actuelle, les questions de commerce international les plus litigieuses ne sont pas alimentées par des producteurs traditionnels qui demandent des mesures protectionnistes, mais plutôt par des consommateurs et d'autres agents économiques qui demandent que les États érigent des barrières commerciales. Le modèle économique à la base de la politique commerciale multilatérale – manifeste dans les accords de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) – prévoit seulement que les entreprises exerceront des pressions protectionnistes, sans disposition sur la réaction possible des États qui sont confrontés à des demandes de protectionnisme provenant d'autres groupes. En conséquence, les États ont été forcés de défendre l'imposition de barrières commerciales en utilisant de fausses justifications. Le mécanisme de règlement des différends de l'OMC a en grande partie rejeté ces justifications, et les consommateurs (et autres agents économiques) se sentent privés de leurs droits. L'OMC a ainsi perdu de sa crédibilité et est parfois diabolisée. L'OMC doit être revue, mais il faut également élaborer un nouveau modèle économique pour tenir compte d'un large éventail d'intérêts protectionnistes.

Suggested Citation

  • William A. Kerr, 2010. "What is New in Protectionism? Consumers, Cranks, and Captives," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 58(1), pages 5-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:canjag:v:58:y:2010:i:1:p:5-22
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7976.2009.01178.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Kerr, William A., 2007. "International Trade Education: Do We Need a New Model for the Global Market?," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11.
    5. Hobbs, Jill E. & Kerr, William A., 2006. "Consumer information, labelling and international trade in agri-food products," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 78-89, February.
    6. Kerr, William A., 2000. "A New World Chaos? International Institutions in the Information Age," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 1(1), pages 1-10.
    7. Kareen L. Holtby & William A. Kerr & Jill E. Hobbs, 2007. "International Environmental Liability and Barriers to Trade," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12610.
    8. Samira Bakhshi & William A. Kerr, 2008. "Incorporating labour standards in trade agreements: protectionist ploy or legitimate trade policy issue?," International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(4), pages 373-391.
    9. Kenneth F. Scheve & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2001. "Globalization and the Perceptions of American Workers," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 109, April.
    10. Kerr, William A., 2003. "Science-based Rules of Trade: A Mantra for Some, An Anathema for Others," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 4(2), pages 1-12.
    11. Frode Alfnes, 2004. "Stated preferences for imported and hormone-treated beef: application of a mixed logit model," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 31(1), pages 19-37, March.
    12. James D. Gaisford & William A. Kerr, 2001. "Economic Analysis for International Trade Negotiations," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2243.
    13. Roberts, Donna, 1998. "Preliminary Assessment of the Effects of the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Regulations," Journal of International Economic Law, Oxford University Press, vol. 1(3), pages 377-405, September.
    14. William A. Kerr & James D. Gaisford (ed.), 2007. "Handbook on International Trade Policy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3521.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stuart Smyth & William Kerr & Peter W. B. Phillips, 2015. "The Unintended Consequences of Technological Change: Winners and Losers from GM Technologies and the Policy Response in the Organic Food Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Kerr, William A., 2012. "The EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement: What is on the Table for Agriculture?," 86th Annual Conference, April 16-18, 2012, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 135067, Agricultural Economics Society.
    3. Nakuja, Tekuni & Kerr, William A., 2013. "Was Food Safety Declining?: Assessing the Justification for the US Food Safety Modernisation Act," Commissioned Papers 145969, Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network.
    4. Moon, Wanki & Sakuyama, Takumi, 2021. "The Political Economy of Agricultural Trade Policy in Northeast Asia: Comparisons with the West and between Japan and Korea," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315192, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Moon, Wanki & Saldias, Gabriel Pino, 2013. "Public Preferences about Agricultural Protectionism in the US," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150718, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Wanki Moon & Gabriel Pino, 2018. "Do U.S. citizens support government intervention in agriculture? Implications for the political economy of agricultural protection," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(1), pages 119-129, January.
    7. Kerr. William Alexander, 2022. "he Rules of Trade in the Face of Long Running Disequilibrium," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 23(1), June.
    8. Kerr, William A., 2016. "Disequilibrium, Trade and the Consequenses of Adjustment," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 17(2), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Gleim, Savannah & Smyth, Stuart J. & Phillips, Peter W.B., 2016. "Regulatory System Impacts on Global GM Crop Adoption Patterns," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 17(2), pages 1-21, December.
    10. Kerr, William A., 2015. "Governance of International Trade in Genetically Modified Organisms: Is Future Global Food Security at Risk?," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 16(2), pages 1-18.
    11. Viju Crina & Kerr William A & Smyth Stuart, 2017. "Approaches to Set Rules for Trade in the Products of Agricultural Biotechnology. Is Harmonization under Trans-Pacific Partnership Possible?," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Smyth, Stuart & Kerr, William A. & Phillips, Peter, 2010. "The Incompatibility of Science and Trade at the International Level," 14th ICABR Conference, June 16-18, 2010, Ravello, Italy 188113, International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research (ICABR).
    13. Hobbs, Jill E., 2010. "Public and Private Standards for Food Safety and Quality: International Trade Implications," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, May.

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