U.s. Multilateral Trade Policy Research (1934-2009)

This dissertation analyzes the relationship between Amercian multilateral trade policy and the multilateral trading system. The fundamental question lies in the influence that American multilateral trade policy can be affected by its power changes and how this influence affects the evolution of the multilateral trading system. Analyzing from the state actor this dissertation focuses on the development of American multilateral trade policy which it combines with international level and domestic level so as to discuss the change of American multilateral trade policy and its influence on the multilateral trading system on the basis of the rise and fall of the American power. There are two core concepts which can be defined by the dissertation:these are international agential power of state and domestic agential power of state. Their changes influence Amercian trade policy and the multilateral trading syste. The dissertation combines international level and domestic level so as to discuss the influences of the combination on the condition of globalization.American multilateral trade policy can be divided in three periods according to its international agential power. The first period lasted from 1934-1970. Because of its international agential power, America pursued free trade and controlled multilateral trade system. In the second period (1971-1995), with the decline of American international agential power, Ameician adoped multilateral, bilateral and unilateral trade policy and the ability for controlling the multilateral trading system was weakened. Since 1996, with the development of WTO, American international agential power has been influenced by globalization in the third period, it was hard to make multilateral trade policy and the multilateral trading system was prevented. That weakens the power of international agential power further and makes the multilateral trading system into trouble.Amercian domestic agential power had been changed in three periods too. The first period lasted from 1934-1970, which was named "1934 institution".the administration controlled the power of making trade policy and promoted the trade liberalization in domestic and international level. In the second, "1934 institution"was weakened and the congress was threatening the government's capacity of making trade policy. The U.S trade policies had gradually altered from free trade to fair trade and manageable trade. The last period was the collapse of "1934 institution".in this period, the participation of interest groups, congress and government had a great influence on American ability to make multilateral trade policy.By examing the influence of American multilateral trade policy and the multilateral tradeing system based on international agential power and domestic agential power of the US, it can conclue that the transition of American power made a vital impact on its multilateral trade policy and the multilateral trading system. When state power was weakened, the United States adopted a cobined policy involving the multilateral, regional, bilateral and unilateral trade policy while mixed free trade policy and trade protection.