Trade Liberalization and Economic Development

The central objective of this chapter is to direct attention to the employment and income distribution effects both between and within developing countries of trade liberalization measures in international negotiations. This aim involves a departure from the usual analysis of trade policy changes in terms of export and import values or volumes only, and towards selectivity according to local effects within the developing world. Within the overall objective particular attention is focused on the potential benefits of trade liberalization for: (a)the poorer developing countries;(b)the poorer groups within all developing countries, and specifically the present unemployed through additional employment creation.