Bilateralism, multilateralism, and the quest for global free trade

Saggi, Kamal and Yildiz, Halis Murat (2009): Bilateralism, multilateralism, and the quest for global free trade.

Abstract

We develop an equilibrium theory of trade agreements in which both the degree and the nature (bilateral or multilateral) of trade liberalization are endogenously determined. To determine whether and how bilateralism matters, we also analyze a scenario where countries pursue trade liberalization on only a multilateral basis. We find that when countries have asymmetric endowments or when governments value producer interests more than tari¤ revenue and consumer surplus, there exist circumstances where global free trade is a stable equilibrium only if countries are free to pursue bilateral trade agreements. By contrast, under symmetry, both bilateralism and multilateralism yield global free trade.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Bilateral trade agreements, multilateral trade liberalization, free trade agreements, GATT
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F13 - Trade Policy ; International Trade Organizations; F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F12 - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies ; Fragmentation

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