Globalization and theMyths of Free

Globalization and the
Myths of Free Trade









Globalization and the Myths of Free Trade critically examines the Washington Consensus, its history, theory, practice and its global outcomes. Two decades have passed since neoliberal globalization began to be implemented, and its highly uneven effects have given rise to a growing opposition. The present debate is not about the need to utilize international resources in the effort to enhance global development, but rather about the manner in which resources should be brought to bear on this project. Throughout the volume, contributors critically analyze whether free trade is the optimal path to development in the current global climate.

The book is organized in four parts, each dedicated to one of the four major issues that inform the debate. The first part focuses on the history and theory of the relationship between international trade and economic development. The second part is concerned with the linkages between globalization and economic development. It examines the actual experiences of various parts of the world in the neoliberal era, ranging from Asia and Latin America to Russia and Eastern Europe. The third part analyzes the effects of globalization on gender inequality and international poverty. And the final section looks at the impact of capital account liberalization, both on the developing world and on the developed coun-tries themselves.

Anwar Shaikh is Professor of Economics at the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science of the New School University, USA