The WTO: Theory and Practice

Bagwell , Kyle; Staiger, Robert W.

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The WTO: Theory and Practice

NBER Working Paper No. w15445

39 Pages Posted: 3 Nov 2009 Last revised: 14 Sep 2024

See all articles by Kyle Bagwell

Kyle Bagwell

Stanford University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Robert W. Staiger

Stanford University; University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: October 2009

Abstract

We consider the purpose and design of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor, GATT. We review recent developments in the relevant theoretical and empirical literature. And we describe the GATT/WTO architecture and briefly trace its historical antecedents. We suggest that the existing literature provides a useful framework for understanding and interpreting central features of the design and practice of the GATT/WTO, and we identify key unresolved issues.

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Bagwell, Kyle and Staiger, Robert W., The WTO: Theory and Practice (October 2009). NBER Working Paper No. w15445, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1498947