Policymakers & Trade
Legislation.
Robert Lawrence
Surveys: An Opportunity to explore
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Good Theory: Occams Razor: Requires
Tractability.
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Good Empirical Work: Requires good theory
and structure.
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Good Survey’s: Opportunities to explore
What is Trade Policy
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Conventional framing: Tariff changes.
Narrow Economic Interests.
Trade policy today:
Agreements:
Multi-Issue.
Rules
Demand & Supply of Trade Policy
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Demand
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Supply
constituent
Policymaker
preferences
preferences
Interest
groups/parties
Institutions
Economic
Environment
Constituent Preferences
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Economic Interests:
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Consumption benefits.
Factor ownership.
Other Values: (Equity, Identity, Community)
Knowledge Formation.
Risk Aversion
Interest-Groups/Parties
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Organizing to influence:
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Costs of Collective Action.
Benefits.
Instruments:
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Money.
Persuasion.
Information/Media
Organization.
Alliances
Policy-Makers
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Preferences:
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Personal Interests.
Institutional/Organizational
Constituent Interests.
General Interests.
Perceptions.
Symbolism.
Institutions
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Trade-Making Authority. USA vs EU
Source of Power.
Elections: Districts, Party Discipline,
Frequency.
Perceptions,
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International trade: gets credit and blame.
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Trade votes: not only about trade: e.g NAFTA,
China PNTR.
Level Playing Field
Policies,
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Costs of Policies Change:
--e.g. environmental rules.
Other regulations.
Process: Only Game in Town?
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Changing constraints on domestic policies.
Changing policy agendas. Winners& losers in
process
Changing responsibilities for trade and domestic
policies. legislative committees, regulators.
Changing relationships to international institutions.
Interest groups respond.
Legislators respond.
Implications.
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Ask about effects on interests but also perceptions
and process.
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Role of money versus knowledge.
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Ask how decisions are made as well as why.
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Explore relationships between positions and
preferences.