Breaking the WTO

Kristen Hopewell is Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy at the University of Edinburgh.

Hopewell offers a novel account of international negotiations at a time when the U.S. is no longer able to force other countries into compliance. Her explanation of how BRIC nations are using 'the master's tools' to disrupt the world order makes for a fascinating read."—Nitsan Chorev, Brown University and author of Remaking U.S. Trade Policy "Hopewell's book provides much rich detail on the efforts of Brazil, India, and China to challenge the unbalanced nature of WTO rules and to liberalize foreign markets for their growing exports. The analysis provides an important perspective on shifting power in trade politics and the paralysis of the Doha Round."—Eric Helleiner, University of Waterloo "In this intriguing study, Kristen Hopewell uncovers a central paradox in the World Trade Organization. Brazil, India, and China exposed market liberalization as a pretense even as they embraced it, disabling an unequal trade regime from within. This is a well-researched and wonderfully nuanced lens through which to view geopolitical power dynamics in a multi-centric age."—Philip McMichael, Cornell University "Hopewell's analysis is invaluable to understanding one of global neoliberalism's key institutions. Her lucid dissection of interstate politics within the WTO shows how China, India, and Brazil have learned to use arguments for free trade to pursue their own interests, just as the U.S. and Europe have always done, resulting in a deadlock that has left the WTO floundering."—Peter Evans, University of California, Berkeley "In her book, Hopewell provides a deep analysis of how power shifts in the world economic order have played out in the World Trade Organization, which for her is one of the most important theaters of global governance....Hopewell's book is an interesting contribution to consider the importance that power dynamics have in this globalized era and how alliances could change the direction of international organizations."—Nicolás Albertoni, Global Policy

• 1. Introduction2. Liberalism and the Contradictions of American Hegemony3. Power, Multilateralism, and Neoliberalism at the WTO4. Power Shift5. Brazil: New Drivers of Liberalization6. China: A Delicate Dance7. India: Balancing Complex Trade Interests8. Conclusion: A Rupture in the Neoliberal Project