B.W. Muirhead traces the development of Canadian trade policy and trade patterns from the Second World War to the election of the Diefenbaker government in 1957. Scholars have emphasized the importance of this period in determining Canadian trade patterns, but have disagreed about the options Canada had and the decisions Canadian governments made. Muirhead demonstrates that Canada's options were so severely constrained by the postwar context that there were in effect no choices to make. He thus makes a strong case against the theory that Canada "sold out" to the United States.

From the back cover: The multilateral trade system that was erected after the end of the Second World War represents one of the more successful efforts in international co-operation ... But during recent years of adverse world economic conditions, severe strains have emerged within the system that threaten the principles on which it is based. This study examines, from a Canadian perspective, the origins, structure and operations of GATT and the other international agreements and institutions that make up the multilateral trade system. It also examines some of the main developments and issues of special interest to Canada that have emerged within the system, and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the system as it now stands. Stone's work is designed for the general reader, rather than the specialist.

This study examines from an American perspective the impact of the free trade agreement (FTA) on the evolution of the Canada-United States economic relationship. It puts into historical context the special trading relationship between Canada and the United States which prevailed over the early postwar period. It examines how FTA rules and dispute settlement procedures create an effective basis for managing bilateral economic relationships in the context of more decentralized policy processes. It also explores the potential impact on the bilateral trading regime of the changing nature of international competition, the adjustments taking place in the structure of the Canadian and American economies, and the challenges posed by continuing technological change.

A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year: “Tells the history of American trade policy . . . [A] grand narrative [that] also debunks trade-policy myths.” —Economist Should the United States be open to commerce with other countries, or should it protect domestic industries from foreign competition? This question has been the source of bitter political conflict throughout American history. Such conflict was inevitable, James Madison argued in the Federalist Papers, because trade policy involves clashing economic interests. The struggle between the winners and losers from trade has always been fierce because dollars and jobs are at stake: depending on what policy is chosen, some industries, farmers, and workers will prosper, while others will suffer. Douglas A. Irwin’s Clashing over Commerce is the most authoritative and comprehensive history of US trade policy to date, offering a clear picture of the various economic and political forces that have shaped it. From the start, trade policy divided the nation—first when Thomas Jefferson declared an embargo on all foreign trade and then when South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union over excessive taxes on imports. The Civil War saw a shift toward protectionism, which then came under constant political attack. Then, controversy over the Smoot-Hawley tariff during the Great Depression led to a policy shift toward freer trade, involving trade agreements that eventually produced the World Trade Organization. Irwin makes sense of this turbulent history by showing how different economic interests tend to be grouped geographically, meaning that every proposed policy change found ready champions and opponents in Congress. Deeply researched and rich with insight and detail, Clashing over Commerce provides valuable and enduring insights into US trade policy past and present. “Combines scholarly analysis with a historian’s eye for trends and colorful details . . . readable and illuminating, for the trade expert and for all Americans wanting a deeper understanding of America’s evolving role in the global economy.” —National Review “Magisterial.” —Foreign Affairs

After the Second World War, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) promoted trade liberalization to help make the world prosperous and peaceful. Francine McKenzie uses case studies of the Cold War, the creation of the EEC and other regional trade agreements, development, and agriculture, to show that trade is a primary goal of foreign policy, a dominant (and divisive) aspect of international relations, and a vital component of global order. She unpacks the many ways in which trade was politicised, and the layers of meaning associated with trade; trade policies, as well as disputes about trade, communicated ideas, hopes and fears that were linked to larger questions of identity, sovereignty, and status. This study reveals how the economic and political dimensions of foreign policy and international engagement intersected, showing that trade was not only instrumentalised in the service of particular policies or relations but that it was also an essential aspect of international relations.