Aggressive Unilateralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Aggressive Unilateralism - Essay ExampleThis essay stresses that the insistence of the US to open market places in the name of fair deal poses dangers to the world trading system, for if everything becomes a question of fair trade, the only outcome will be to remove, altogether, the hatchway of ever agreeing to a rule-oriented trading system. The danger starts itself from imposing conditions of what constitutes free trade and yet, not giving other countries the right to define what fair trade is. Fairness is a value-laden concept and more qualitative, rather than say, the concept of efficiency, which is easier to define and can be easily quantified. Moreover, even the American pride in its market openness that it places before the world for emulation by other countries cannot be absolutely used as standard, as every country is unique in its structural make-up that has bearing on its economy and trade practices. This report makes a conclusion that the international trading system not only operates infra free-market assumptions but more importantly, its very purpose through inception of the WTO is to erect legally binding trade agreements that would apply to every member state. The policy of self-assertive unilateralism as practiced by the United States makes use of brute political power that circumvents the legality of the global trading system. In slamming this policy as GATT/WTO-illegal, Bhagwati writes, ceremonial a treaty commitment is to reaffirm ones respects for orderly procedures and the rule of law in dealing with nation states.