Trade and Labor II
THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: LEGAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ANALYSIS, Springer, 2005
25 Pages Posted: 13 Apr 2011 Last revised: 30 Jan 2012
Date Written: July 4, 2004
Abstract
This chapter in a compendium on the World Trade Organization (WTO) examines the role of human values in the quest for coherence in the global governance of work and trade. I use the term "global governance" to refer to the system of international institutions, rules and processes that guide the conduct and relations of states and non-state actors across borders. I first review the origins and effects of the current deficit of coherence within the global governance system. I then consider the extent to which the growing cohesion among internationally-accepted values in society offers a means for building normative and institutional coherence between the WTO and the International Labor Organization (ILO), and in their interaction with other international institutions and actors. In pointing out the resulting sense of "shared responsibility" among those concerned, I propose that such transystemic values inform the development of governance and accountability mechanisms to guide international organizations, States, and non-state actors in more effectively coordinating their policies and practices in the market and the workplace.
JEL Classification: F02, F10, F15, J18, K31, K33, K39
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation