The World Trade Organization(WTO)portrays itself as a democraticorganization.Yet many critics claim the WTO is not democratic.The WTO they say catersto the interests of a handful of developed countries and serves the ...The World Trade Organization(WTO)portrays itself as a democraticorganization.Yet many critics claim the WTO is not democratic.The WTO they say catersto the interests of a handful of developed countries and serves the needs of global capital.This article contends that both views are correct.It argues that the WTO does conform todemocratic principles.These principles,however,reflect a form of democracy thatrecognizes formal political equality but does not compensate for disparities in economicpower—a mode of political organization I call"democratic formalism"As a result of itsformal-democratic organization,the WTO possesses a built-in institutional bias that servesthe needs of its most powerful members and the global economic processes that keep thempowerful.That said the formal-democratic organization of the WTO provides an opportunityfor developing countries to steer the organization toward a global trade agenda that betterserves their interests.展开更多
文摘The World Trade Organization(WTO)portrays itself as a democraticorganization.Yet many critics claim the WTO is not democratic.The WTO they say catersto the interests of a handful of developed countries and serves the needs of global capital.This article contends that both views are correct.It argues that the WTO does conform todemocratic principles.These principles,however,reflect a form of democracy thatrecognizes formal political equality but does not compensate for disparities in economicpower—a mode of political organization I call"democratic formalism"As a result of itsformal-democratic organization,the WTO possesses a built-in institutional bias that servesthe needs of its most powerful members and the global economic processes that keep thempowerful.That said the formal-democratic organization of the WTO provides an opportunityfor developing countries to steer the organization toward a global trade agenda that betterserves their interests.
