The Dilemma Of Agricultural Trade Liberalization Under The Multilateral Trade System: A Political Economic Analysis

As the current WTO agricultural negotiation falls into dilemma, the problem about agricultural trade liberation under the multilateral trade system becomes one of the hottest topics. This thesis comprehensively and systematically studies the origin and the tendency of the dilemma of agricultural trade liberalization under the multilateral trade system from three aspects-developed countries, developing countries and the multilateral trade system. The analysis on the basis of international political economy, political economy of trade, public choice theory and game theory can help people to profoundly understand this problem. Moreover, this thesis expresses such a viewpoint that China should look for the balance between opening domestic market and protecting agriculture in order to realize the maximum of national welfare after entry into WTO. Therefore, it should be significant theoretically and practically to undertake this research.The thesis includes three chapters.Chapter One illuminates the whole process of the agricultural trade liberalization under GAIT/WTO, and then points out that dilemma exists.Chapter Two analyzes the origin of the dilemma of agricultural trade liberalization under the multilateral trade system. This part systematically puts forth the opinions that agricultural protection theories, agricultural policies in the developed countries and their control over the process have resulted in the dilemma of agricultural trade liberalization. Finally, it briefly presents that the developing countries have exerted limited influence on the process of the international agricultural trade liberalization.Chapter Three discusses the future of agricultural trade liberalization under the multilateral trade system. This part dialectically analyzes that international agricultural trade tends toward liberalization with tough process; preliminarily studies the important problems for China about how to promote the WTO agricultural negotiation and how to develop domestic agriculture.