Burning Rubber

By Daniel Ikenson
Analysis of proposed US tariffs on Chinese tires

Economic Freedom & Peace

Trade, Peace and Democracy: An Analysis of Dyadic Dispute

No Longer Us versus Them - Trade Policy for the 21st Century

By DanielIkenson
Published by the F2T Campaign

Global economic integration has enabled enterprises to flourish on scales unimaginable just a generation ago. The re-imposition of barriers would be a huge mistake and should be eschewed. Instead, trade and investment policy should be brought up to speed with 21st century commercial reality.

Just Trade: The Moral Imperative of Eliminating Barriers to Trade

by Julian Morris

International Policy Network

"Just Trade" explores how trade barriers raise the cost of goods and services, harming consumers and producers alike. It shows that voluntary exchange between individuals is inherently good because each and every trade directly enhances the welfare of all participants. With each exchange, the entrepreneurial process leads to more, better and cheaper products being produced and available. This leads to sustainable development, leading to continuous improvements in human welfare.

Free trade for better health

by Philip Stevens

International Policy Network

Free trade is a powerful force for improving the health of the world's poor. Falling barriers to global has seen new health knowledge and technologies, and wealth, spread to nearly all corners of the globe. As a result, life expectancies have risen worldwide. This new paper, written by Philip Stevens, Director of IPN's health programme, shows how 50 years of trade liberalisation has significantly improved the health of the world's people.

Dirigiste Divide: How governments obstruct development and access to ICTs

by Alec van Gelder

International Policy Network

The same barriers that prevent poor countries from becoming wealthy also prevent the poor from accessing ICTs. Attempting to correct for the so-called ‘digital divide’ by subsidising the provision of ICTs is unlikely to be successful. The digital divide is actually part of a larger ‘dirigiste divide’ which results from the governments of poor countries imposing all manner of restrictions on entrepreneurial activity, from lack of respect for property rights to a failure to uphold the rule of law.

The Cell Phone Revolution in Kenya

by June Arunga and Billy Kohara

This report shows what happened when the Kenyan government allowed private companies the freedom to trade and to compete against the government-owned telecommunications company.  Access to mobile telephony flourished.  An extensive segment was dedicated to the issues raised in this report on Newsnight, the UK's flagship news programme.

The Diffusion of Prosperity and Peace by Globalization

By Erich Weede

Independent Institute

Critics of globalization forget that free trade fosters prosperity and know almost nothing about its most important benefit—its tendency to prevent war. Quantitative studies have shown that trade fosters peace both directly, by reducing the risk of military conflict, and indirectly, by promoting prosperity and democracy.

While Doha Sleeps; securing economic growth through trade faciliation

By Daniel Ikenson

Cato Institute

Complicated multi-lateral agreements on trade through the World Trade Organisation look increasingly less likely, but trade facilitation reforms can be implemented unilaterally and, in some cases, are even more beneficial.

Trade Policy, New Century: The WTO, FTAs and Asia Rising

By Razeen Sally

Professor, London School of Economics & Director, European Center for International Policy Economy

In recent years, debates on international trade policy have focused on the role of the World Trade Organization and the two big political and economic powers – the USA and the EU. In this book, the author, an expert in trade policy, argues that this focus must change. Large supra-national institutions have become bogged down and are no longer in a position to drive trade liberalisation. Also, the world’s fastest growing economies are those Asian economies that have embraced free trade, in many cases going beyond international requirements.

Feed the World

by Douglas Southgate

Professor, Agricultural Economics, Ohio State University (U.S.A.)

Trade barriers immediately exacerbated--and have unnecessarily prolonged--the global food crisis, according to Douglas Southgame, Professor of Agricultural Economics at Ohio State University (U.S.A.).  In a new report, Feed the World, Professor Southgate highlights how 30 countries imposed export restrictions or outright bans on trade in food at the outset of price increases, which led to yet further price spikes globally.  Now that food prices have eased off their 2008 highs, 28 of these original trade restrictions still remain in place, making food expensive for consumers and disincentivising production for farmers.  Read the press release here.