Trade Liberalization and Poverty

Openness to trade is a key element of economic policy; continuing extreme poverty in developing countries is a disgrace. This Handbook examines how concerns about the world's poor should affect our attitude towards trade liberalization. Part I draws on economic analysis and practical experience to construct a framework to analyse the links between trade liberalization and poverty. It shows policy-makers how to identify the critical features in their economies so they can ensure that the poor benefit from liberalization. Part II explores the reform of particular sectors -- agriculture, services, etc., and particular instruments of trade policy -- export subsidies, anti-dumping measures, etc. It presents an economic analysis of each type of reform, shows the likely outcome for the poor, and discusses the issue's status on the World Trade Organization's agenda. Book jacket.

Neil McCulloch is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies. His research focuses on the impact of public policy on poverty in developing countries. Trained as an engineer and an economist, he has worked for government, consultancy, and NGOs. He works on Kenya, Zambia, Pakistan and China L. Alan Winters is Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex, a Research Fellow of CEPR's International Trade Programme and a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Economic Performance. He was Research Manager for International Trade in the World Bank and has advised many international organizations. He has published widely on empirical and policy aspects of international trade Xavier Cirera is a research student at the Institute of Development Studies