The Puzzle of Agricultural Exceptionalism in International Trade Policy

Michael Trebilcock and Kristen Pue

Journal of International Economic Law, 2015, vol. 18, issue 2, 233-260

Abstract: This article first seeks to demonstrate the exceptional levels of protectionism accorded to the agricultural sector, especially in many developed countries. It reviews the principal protectionist measures employed: domestic subsidies and price supports, production restrictions, and border measures; describes briefly the disciplines applicable to these measures under World Trade Organization law; and then surveys empirical evidence on the extent of protectionism that prevails in the agricultural sector in many countries. Next, it evaluates the principal normative justifications often offered for exceptional levels of agricultural protectionism: ensuring access to affordable food; ensuring a livable income for farmers; and preserving traditional rural lifestyles and communities. It finds that these are not especially compelling either relative to many other economic sectors or in terms of first-best policy responses to the normative concerns in question. The article then considers political economy explanations for exceptional levels of protectionism in agriculture—including Public Choice explanations and the transitional gains trap—which, while providing some purchase on the phenomenon, are again not completely compelling. The article concludes with some observations on how liberalization of trade in agricultural products might be advanced in the future.

Date: 2015
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jiel/jgv022 (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:jieclw:v:18:y:2015:i:2:p:233-260.

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://academic.oup.com/journals

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of International Economic Law is currently edited by Kathleen Claussen, Sergio Puig and Michael Waibel

More articles in Journal of International Economic Law from Oxford University Press Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Oxford University Press ().