Trade, along with the free movement of capital, is at the heart of today's international economy. But international trade is an intensely political and contested subject. The book traces the history of global trade, the impact of current global trading arrangements on poverty, inequality and the environment, its hugely differential consequences for high-income and low income countries, and the future options for revised trading arrangements. It argues that factors like future fossil fuel costs, global warming, and the economic imbalances between North and South are likely to impel a radical reshaping of the WTO and the principles enshrined in its agreements. It outlines the diverse proposals advocated by the global justice movement to make global trade more sustainable.
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