Martin Wolf: Doha is weakening the WTO

I am copying here Martin Wolf's comments on the Doha Round, as expressed on the CUTS-tradeforum. I find them remarkable because Martin simultaneously explodes three myths about the trade regime. First, he dismisses the "bicycle theory" of trade negotiations, which says that the trade regime will fall back into protectionism unless you keep liberalizing it. Second, he states that the fundamental motives behind Doha were political rather than economic. And third, he argues that Doha is doing more damage than good to the multilateral trade regime.

Doha was essentially a political response to 9/11. I supported it then because it indicated the global will to co-operate and sustain globalisation. Its chance of completion was in the first few years. Once the political reasons weakened, as they did, after Iraq and then the obvious fact that globalisation was ongoing, the will to complete this round disappeared. Today, no top-level politician would now use his or her desperately limited political capital to complete this round, which they see (rightly) as a low-level priority. After all, are we really living in an era of collapsing trade? Is protectionism rampant? Given the shocks of the last few years, it is almost astonishingly absent.

Then people will say that the WTO will collapse if we don't keep on doing rounds. I think that's absurd. Do we think the legal system will collapse if we don't go on writing more laws? At some point, we were bound to get to the point when a round failed. At some point, we would have to declare an end to rounds. Before 9/11, I thought we were already there. After 9/11, I thought it made sense to have one more go. I was wrong. Doha is weakening the WTO, not strengthening it.

So what now? Make the WTO work in a world without rounds, that's what. Move on. This is over.

Martin Wolf is right on all counts. And it is truly refreshing to see an economist openly admit to having been wrong.

For my own views on how Doha was misconceived and got off to a wrong start, see this Foreign Affairs piece.

UPDATE: Arvind Subramanian reminds me, correctly, that along with Aaditya Mattoo he has long been pointing to the inadequacies and irrelevance of the Doha agenda and the public denial on this since 2007.  See this, this, and this.

UPDATE:  And here is some prescient analysis also from Tom Palley.

Comments

[Ken Jarboe]

Martin is right -- time to move on. Actually, it was time to move on before they even started -- see my piece for 2001 "After Doha: What the WTO is Not Talking About"
http://www.athenaalliance.org/pdf/WTO.pdf

[Jon Cloke]

Since when was weakening the WTO (if that is indeed what's going on) a bad thing? The set-up of the WTO, all of its accords and the GATS in particular were all brought to us by Jeffrey Sach's 'wrong economic model of the world', the same one that brought us the onging global economic crisis and precipitated the 'Arab Spring'. Ironic though it is that the anti-democratic and oligopolistic corporatization of the world that is at the centre of all that the WTO does should have precipitated such an uprising against repression, the fact remains that the way that the WTO was conceived and built is antithetical to everything democracy is supposed to stand for.

[Dave Fair]

"...We were in sole possession, not of the material, but of the methods and the trained intellects required for its utilization. It is this that constitutes the basis of the luxurious living of the white worker — whose income, in comparison with that of the "native" is princely — a circumstance that Marxism has turned to dishonest account, to its own ruin. It is being revenged on us today, for from now on, evolution is going to be complicated by the problem of unemployment. The high level of wages of the white worker, which is today a peril to his very life, rests upon the monopoly that the Leaders of Industry have created about him. And then, at the close of last century, the blind will-to-power began to make its decisive mistakes. Instead of keeping strictly to itself the technical knowledge that constituted their greatest asset, the "white" peoples complacently offered it to all the world..."

"...The innumerable hands of the coloured races — at least as clever, and far less exigent —will shatter the economic organization of the whites at its foundations. The accustomed luxury of the white workman, in comparison with the coolie, will be his doom. The labour of the white is itself coming to be unwanted. The huge masses of men centred in the Northern coal areas, the great industrial works, the capital invested in them, whole cities and districts, are faced with the probability of going under in the competition. The centre of gravity of production is steadily shifting away from them, especially since even the respect of the coloured races for the white has been ended by the World War. This is the real and final basis of the unemployment that prevails in the white countries. It is no mere "crisis", but the beginning of a catastrophe..."

European Faustian Man in the Age of Machine-Technics
by Oswald Spengler (1932)

[Jamieloois]

Since when was weakening the WTO (if that is indeed what's going on) a bad thing? The set-up of the WTO, all of its accords and the GATS in particular were all brought to us by Jeffrey Sach's 'wrong economic model of the world', the same one that brought us the onging global economic crisis and precipitated the 'Arab Spring'. Ironic though it is that the anti-democratic and oligopolistic corporatization of the world that is at the centre of all that the WTO does should have precipitated discounted gucci such an uprising against repression,the fact remains that the way that the WTO was conceived and built is antithetical to everything discount gucci handbags democracy is supposed to stand for. 2945abc45 0421

[Account Deleted]

Nice post.Thank you for taking the time to publish this information very useful!
http://www.volumerates.com/

[Account Deleted]

I have worked in international development co-operation, mainly in rural development and poverty eradication, for about 4 decades.

International trade and soci-economic development are very complex issues and involve many vested interests.

The proliferation of bi-lateral trade agreements,already taking place, closely attached to confined national interests is that option better than making WTO minimally operational?

Anyhow, good luck in your future work on WTO. Tom

[Daniel Camara]

LOL - I it's refreshing watching an economist admit to being wrong - alsmost like watching an accountant buying TurboTax.
Dan with Water Damage San Francisco

[Account Deleted]

I produced this documentary starting in 1993. It has been independently produced for Public Television and features unprecedented access to this secretive and powerful institution. The Doha Round will greatly expand the WTO's authority and understang it is more critical now than ever.

[Mbtmbtshoes]

http://www.coachusaonline.com/
stop the "base" and its affiliated organizations fight won't end because osama bin laden was dead. France's RenDaoBao of May 5,

[Account Deleted]

His prescriptions seem to require a much more coherent state

[Mbtmbtshoes]

at a national education essay contest works, of Hong Kong held in this year summer vacation will benefit organized the second "my country" summer reading award scheme to encourage Hong Kong national
http://www.cheapghdstraightenerssale.co.uk/

[Account Deleted]

Many places and centers offer business and trade promotions to both buyers and supplier.What about the differences in skill intensities across industries? The job losses in the relatively unskilled-labor intensive battery industry should have little effect on the relatively skilled-labor intensive machinery
sexshop
sexyshop
sexshop online
alongador peniano

[Account Deleted]

Good food for thought here. Thanks for such an informative article, it's been very interesting. femmes russes

[Account Deleted]

"You're nocturnal in terms of what you do, christian louboutin playing at night, so your body

[Gwormd]

It's quite pleased that Android TextMate Bundle has been released, Skin Ringworm

[Kidneyr]

When I used to be asked to offer a write up overunity motor

[Kilymom]

Canada Goose
A large number of athletes who are unable to turn professional take a second job or even sometimes abandon their athletic aspirations in order to to make ends meet. A small percentage of entertainers and athletes are able to make a decent living but a vast majority will spend their careers toiling from hard work, determination, rejection and frequent unemployment.

[Lifenzhu]

http://bit.ly/ubAjYJ
Keswick Museum and Art Gallery are also involved with a large three-year project set up by Yorkshire Quarry Arts based at The University of Leeds. It is an interdisciplinary project to find out why hornfels has musical properties, carry out historical research on the Cumbrian sets of musical stones and organise a series of performances. The Musical Stones of Skiddaw have been played in several events for Yorkshire Quarry Arts.

[Aleclihong]

Moncler He then attended the University of Missouri and a transfer to University of Notre Dame, where he received a degree in economics.

[Account Deleted]

I think that's absurd. Do we think the legal system will collapse if we don't go on writing more laws....

Video Intro
Whiteboard Videos

[Vin Ke]

Full of professional insight based on testing by experts that knew what they were talking about. I would certainly go again and recommend it to anyone operating in this field. wood pellet machinery manufacturers

[Lily Yago]

Your writing skills are really emaculate, I wish I was half as good as you.

Nike free run sale http://nikefreerunsaler.net, Nike free run 2.

[Vin Ke]

These metrics will more appropriately indicate how much these devices are actually used while connected.Supplier of hammermill

[Vin Ke]

What is the promotional path of others in your organization who have moved quickly and successfully. Can you use them as mentors? pellet mill production line

[oyunlar]

Your writing skills are really emaculate, I wish I was half as good as you.sağlık parfüm markaları güzellik moda merkezi magazin haberleri resimler

[Account Deleted]

Saying thank you is a virtue. It is plausible learning to utter such. Some don't even dare to say such.Formula 21 Formen Gece Gözlüğü panax

[orjin krem]

I try and learn something new everyday. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge manzaralar zayıflamak oyunlar yemek tarifleri

[Vin Ke]

The problem is that it failed to communicate to Suzanne that the applicant could do what she needed them to do. pellet mill chipper

[Account Deleted]

Great article. Thanks for sharing information with us, this blog is very interesting,Thank you, Enjoy watching my website.
Friend link: http://www.cheapshoe-shop.com

[Blueskyl]

Les gens veulent gagner le plaisir. Nike peuvent vouloir satisfaire leur appétit ou les désirs sexuels. Cela leur permettra de se sentir plus remplies. Dites à vos prospects comment beaucoup de plaisir votre produit ou service leur donnera. Par exemple, vous pourriez dire,? Notre produit répond à vos envies pour les riches, délicieux chocolat.?

[D]

I really like the sytle of your blog! Thank you for sharing ! chnlove

[Islerguclerizle]

Thanks for sharing this information its really nice

işler güçler izle
işler güçler
işler güçler dizi bölümleri
işler güçler 720p izle
işler güçler HD izle
işler güçler izle
işler güçler tek parça izle
işler güçler hangi gün yayınlanıyor
işler güçler son bölüm izle
işler güçler hd izle

[Okadapter]

Toshiba Satellite A205 Adapter
Toshiba PA3468U-1ACA AC Adapter
HP Compaq 394224-001 AC Adapter
Acer Aspire PA-1300-04 AC Adapter
Acer SADP-65KB AC Adapter
Acer ADP-65DB AC Adapter
Acer PA-1750-04 AC Adapter
HP DC359A AC Adapter

[Okadapter]

HP Pavilion DV4 AC Adapter
hp pavilion DV5 ac adapter
hp pavilion DV6 ac adapter
hp pavilion DV7 ac adapter

[Okadapter]

Toshiba PA3282U-1ACA AC Adapter
HP Pavilion DV7 Adapter

Dell XPS M1210 Adapter
HP Compaq PPP012L-S Adapter
HP Compaq PPP009H Adapter

[Rastia Rigie]

Bank Mandiri Bank Terbaik di Indonesia
Bank Mandiri Bank Terbaik di Indonesia
Promo Bonus 100% Sbobet, Ibcbet dan Casino Online Dalam Rangka HUT BAVETLINE Yang Kedua
Masterbet88 Grand Opening Promo Bonus 50% Sportsbook dan Casino Online

[Happy Adapter]

Acer Aspire 3000 ac adapter

[HnOyun]

My friend mentioned to me your blog, so I thought I’d read it for myself. Very interesting insights, will be back for more!
haber haberler
oyun oyna oyunlar
volvo özel servis

[Okadapter]

HP Compaq Laptop AC Adapters
Dell Laptop AC Adapters
Acer Laptop AC Adapters