Preferential Trade Agreements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Preferential Trade Agreements - Essay Example Though the prime motive behind the formation of these groups was to prevent any form of discrimination among member nations, it is being witnessed that this is not being followed in practice. In fact, existing imbalances on a regional basis have driven nations to form Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTAs) that has been the trend since the past half century. During the same period, it has also been witnessed that there has been a major growth in the degree of multilateral openness within the above organizations. The question being asked by the authors of the paper Mansfield and Reinhardt is as to why nations have relied on preferential liberalization when the prime objective of the above organizations has been to advocate non-discrimination. Additionally, the authors have also performed requisite theoretical and mathematical analysis to determine the various factors that have led to such deviations, which forms a substantial part of the paper currently under review. The major aim of the current review is to analyze the findings, claims and arguments of this paper and to determine the extent to which these claims are justified. On the backdrop of such analysis, the paper attempts to provide a suitable set of recommendations on the basis of which further analysis may be initiated. 2. SUMMARY The authors, by way of the paper, have identified that the international trading system has witnessed a rapid increase in the formation of numerous Preferential Trading Agreements (PTAs). Moreover, the authors have also expressed agreement over the fact that there has been an increased multilateral openness by way of the formation of the GATT and the WTO. However, the authors have expressed that little research has been done for determining how and due to which reasons the multilateral regime has helped in the conception and formation of PTAs by the members of these organizations themselves. The paper claims that the prime reason behind nations preferring for the formation of PTAs is to enhance their bargaining power. The formation of these agreements is perceived as providing the member nations with an opportunity to help them gain strength against any future policies of the GATT/WTO that may not go well with the economic interests of the member states. Moreover, the presence of PTAs provides the member nation with extra muscle that would help it in being more vocal and provide an opportunity to the member for greater market power and share. The authors argue that the past few years has seen a major increase in the number of members of these organizations, thereby making it more and more difficult to allow the organizations to allow at multilateral agreements and hope for any sort of collective actions. In this backdrop, the authors state positively that the formation of PTAs also helps members with similar vested economic interests in solving common problems and achie ving common objectives. In this backdrop, the authors argue that the prime reason for the rise and formation of these preferential agreements is the existence of the GATT/WTO themselves. In

Millennium Development Goals Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Millennium Development Goals - Assignment Example Primary education will help the development of countries because it helps develop and improve the essential human learning and life skills which are necessary for gainful employment and productivity, which on the other hand are important for economic progress (Bruns, Mingat and Rakotomalala 2). This goal is still significant for developed countries because while most of the children in the urban areas are already given primary education, those in the rural or remote places many not have the same opportunity. Furthermore, the more educated people there are in other countries, the more the global economy improves, which affects all countries of the world whether they be underdeveloped, developing or developed. Part 2- How successful are we globally in meeting this goal? What are the victories or concerns laid out in the discussion provided on the website? What statistics or evidence do they use to support these conclusions? Based on the facts given by UNDP, the pace of progress is insufficient since in 2009 not all boys and girls are in primary schooling, as evidenced by data on the sub-Saharan African countries alone, where at least one of four children are not enrolled in 2008 (United Nations Development Programme , par 3). The concerns presented are the high drop-out rates among the children, that is, in the sub-Saharan Africa, more than 30 per cent of the children drop out before reaching a final grade (United Nations Development Programme , par 4). Another major concern is the lack of teachers and classrooms (United Nations Development Programme , par 5). Part 3- Discuss the data that you have been reviewing. What sorts of measures are they recording? How does this tie into the goal? What do the overall trends suggest? How does this compare to the conclusions discussed in part 2 of your homework? The measures that they