Global governance, national strategies: how industrialized states make room to move under the WTO

Global and national governance are sometimes seen to stand in a zero-sum relationship, particularly in the post-GATT era of multilateral trade. A more nuanced view expects states to seek the benefits of multilateralism whilst finding convenient loopholes and escape routes from its policy constraints. This paper steers a different course, focusing on the overt (‘legitimate’) measures industrialized states are undertaking to succeed in the international arena. Rich nations as a group have carved out a multilateral order which best suits their current developmental trajectory – one that diminishes space for promoting industries critical to their climb up the development ladder, while increasing scope for sponsoring the technology-intensive sectors now critical to securing national prosperity. State activism continues and in some respects has taken on a more strategic and collaborative quality. This paper discusses several forms of ‘strategic activism’ in trade, technology, and finance and considers ...