Question

What is the general trend of trade barriers over recent decades: higher, lower, or about the same?

Short answer

The general trend of trade barriers over recent decades has been predominantly decreasing, especially from the mid-1940s to the early 2000s, due to the efforts of organizations like GATT and WTO and various regional trade agreements. However, in the past decade or so, the trend has been mixed, with instances of rising protectionism offset by continued efforts to reduce trade barriers through new agreements. Overall, trade barriers today are lower than they were several decades ago.

Step-by-step solution

Define trade barriers

Trade barriers are policies and regulations that countries use to control the flow of imports and exports. These can include tariffs, quotas, and other non-tariff barriers like local content requirements and import licensing.

Understand the context

In order to discuss the trend of trade barriers, it's important to have some understanding of the historical context. From the mid-1940s to the early 2000s, international trade has undergone a process of liberalization through initiatives like the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. Under such organizations, member countries have committed to reducing trade barriers and promoting free trade.

Discuss the trend from the 1980s to early 2000s

During this period, global trade barriers saw a general decrease due to the efforts of the GATT and later the WTO. Countries agreed to several rounds of trade negotiations leading to agreements aimed at reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Additionally, many regional trade agreements were made, like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which further lowered trade barriers between the countries involved.

Discuss the trend from early 2000s to mid-2010s

In the early to mid-2010s, the pace of liberalization started to slow down, and in some cases, partial reversals of trade liberalization occurred. Countries started implementing more protectionist measures, intended to shield domestic industries from foreign competition. However, this trend was less pronounced than the earlier trend of trade liberalization, and the overall level of trade barriers remained relatively lower compared to the past.

Discuss the trend from mid-2010s to the present

The trend in trade barriers from the mid-2010s to the present has been mixed. On the one hand, protectionist sentiments and policies have increased in some countries, such as the United States under the Trump administration, which imposed tariffs on various imports. On the other hand, new trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the European Union's trade agreements with Canada and Japan continued the trend of reducing trade barriers.

Conclusion:

The general trend of trade barriers over recent decades can be described as predominantly decreasing, especially from the mid-1940s to the early 2000s. However, in the past decade or so, this trend has shown mixed results, with some instances of rising protectionism offset by continued efforts to reduce trade barriers through new agreements. Overall, though, trade barriers today are lower than they were several decades ago.