Trade Liberalization and Poverty: A Handbook

Sponsored by the UK Department for International Development, this book deals directly with concerns that reform may have adverse effects on poverty in developing countries. The first part of the book recaps the current debates over trade policy and anti-poverty policy and the connections between them. The second part explores ten areas of trade policy that are likely to figure in future trade negotiations and examines the possible impact upon poverty in each case. The authors argue that the poverty impact of trade liberalization is extremely country specific, being pro-poor in some cases and anti-poor in others. However, they believe that it is better to tackle poverty concerns directly (for example, by safety nets and investments to facilitate structural reform) rather than through the continuation of protectionist policies. Given the popular suspicions about trade liberalization, this handbook will make an important contribution to debate on globalization and poverty.