Executive-Congressional Politics And American Foreign Trade Policy

The core thesis of this dissertation is drawn out by current controversy referring to the TPP.How does the American foreign trade policy form? Which factor has played a key role in this process? And how?Specifically,this dissertation first focus on American foreign trade policy chiefly from three research perspectives which in details are system, society and the state. And then in order to break the international and domestic boundaries, the state centered view has been put forward and used to bridge the gap between the international system and social forces. Thus, a logical relation in which system, society and the state have played a key role in the formation of American foreign trade policy have been established.State in this dissertation mainly refers to domestic institutional structure which is represented by the adjustment of inter-branches relations in American, It decides the order and methods of the impacts which the state, society and the political system may bring in making the American foreign trade policy. The U.S. is under the institutional structure of weak state and strong society. Therefore, the U.S. Government continuously bear heavy burdens and be challenged by the domestic society while making decisions. Decentralized power system of Congress often act as the domestic social pressure "sensor". While the power-sharing in the field of trade has determined the orientation of the U.S. foreign trade policy ultimately to rely on the evolution of power and relationship between the president and Congress. When President has held more trade policy decision-making power,The state will react quicker and stronger to the change of the international system.On the contrary, when Congress has held more trade policy decision-making power, the foreign trade policy will easily cater to special interests, and become the product of domestic political process.Based on this theoretical perspective, this dissertation tries to demonstrate and analysis the change of "1934 institution" in American foreign trade policy. In the first stage, which was named "1934 institution" establishment and development stage,Through the 1934 and 1962 trade laws, the United States has established the president’s dominant position in the field of trade policies. While the president has prompted the U.S. to embark on a free trade development based upon the perception of international system force changes and the grasping of global interests. In the second stage,which was named "1934 institution" adjustment stage,due to the 1974 and 1988 trade laws, the congress gradually weakened the president’s capacity of making foreign trade policy.The congress once again held the initiative.As a result the U.S. foreign trade policy shifted from free trade to fair trade. The last stage was the weaken of "1934 institution". through the analyses of the blockage of the president’s TPA mandate and the failure of the emergence of a strong president in the financial crisis,the dissertation indicates that the weakening of "1934 institution", either congress or the president, are more inclined to trade protectionism,The American foreign trade policy is deviating from the liberalism gradually.