The Effects of Trade Liberalization Policies on Human Development in Selected Least Developed Countries Metadata

Title

• Main Title The Effects of Trade Liberalization Policies on Human Development in Selected Least Developed Countries

Creator

• Author: Ray, Elizabeth Thompson
  Creator Type: Personal

Contributor

• Chair: Rodeheaver, Daniel
  Contributor Type: Personal
  Contributor Info: Committee Chair
• Committee Member: Cready, Cynthia M.
  Contributor Type: Personal
• Committee Member: Luker, William
  Contributor Type: Personal
• Committee Member: Seward, Rudy Ray
  Contributor Type: Personal
• Committee Member: Yang, Philip Q.
  Contributor Type: Personal

Publisher

• Name: University of North Texas
  Place of Publication: Denton, Texas

Date

• Creation: 2006-12

Language

• English

Description

• Content Description: This dissertation examines the effects of trade liberalization policies (represented by membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization on selected Least Developed Countries' (LDCs) human development (represented by the Human Development Index). In this dissertation, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) policies are theorized to have two distinct types of effects: their direct effect and their indirect effect. Two questions are focused on: first, what is the effect (total, direct and indirect) of WTO policies on human development for selected LDCs? Second, what is the effect (total, direct and indirect) of WTO policies on human development for selected developing/developed countries (i.e. non-LDCs) holding economic development constant? Using the dependency theory of development as a theoretical basis, this dissertation examines the assumptions of modernization-theory-based policies as expressed in trade liberalization policies (i.e. the implementation of comparative advantage and now market fundamentalism) with world-system analysis techniques. To examine these questions, four panel regression models are constructed to measure the total, direct and indirect effects of WTO policies during the near-term (1998-2003) and during a longer historical term (1975-2000). The data for the analyses are taken from seven different sources of international data. The analyses seemingly demonstrate that there are quantifiable negative effects of GATT/WTO membership (trade liberalization policies) on human development in selected LDCs. The current implementation of trade liberalization policies does not benefit the well-being of all concerned as promoted by the WTO.

Subject

• Library of Congress Subject Headings: Developing countries -- Commercial policy.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: Developing countries -- Economic policy.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: Free trade -- Developing countries.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: Foreign trade regulation.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: International trade.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: World Trade Organization.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Organization)
• Keyword: trade liberalization policies
• Keyword: Least Developed Countries
• Keyword: WTO

Collection

• Name: UNT Theses and Dissertations
  Code: UNTETD

Institution

• Name: UNT Libraries
  Code: UNT

Rights

• Rights Access: public
• Rights License: copyright
• Rights Holder: Ray, Elizabeth Thompson
• Rights Statement: Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Resource Type

• Thesis or Dissertation

Format

• Text

Identifier

• OCLC: 131034374
• Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc5440

Degree

• Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy
• Degree Level: Doctoral
• Degree Discipline: Sociology
• Academic Department: Department of Sociology
• Degree Grantor: University of North Texas

Note