Fairness in the WTO Trading System

Andrew G. Brown and Robert Stern
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Andrew G. Brown: Amherst, MA

No 612, Working Papers from Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan

Abstract: We first provide a brief critique of the utilitarian principle as a guide to fairness in the world trading system. We then turn to the alternative conception of fairness in terms of economic equity, exploring the meaning of its two components: equality of opportunity and distributive justice. We thereafter proceed to discuss the conditions of autonomy and reciprocity that have to be met in order to realize greater fairness in multilateral trade negotiations. Next, we comment on aspects of procedural justice that are necessary for the functioning of a fair trading system. Finally, we conclude with an overall assessment of the considerations of the fairness achieved in the Uruguay Round multilateral negotiations.

Keywords: Fairness; Equality of Opportunity; Distributive Justice; Global Trading System (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 F02 F10 F13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2010-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mie:wpaper:612

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