Assembly of warring nations
D.S. Cheema

The WTO: A Discordant Orchestra
by T.K. Bhaumik. Sage, New Delhi. Pages 248. Rs 320

So much has been written on this one of the most powerful yet controversial multilateral institutions of the world, that any reader would like to read a book on the WTO only if it throws a fresh light on the problems it faces and suggests any practical solutions to enhance its relevance to all member countries. The author has attempted just that in this book, which provides an incisive account, right from the birth of the WTO to the recently stalled Doha Negotiations. The book traces the history of the birth of the WTO in 1995 and takes stock of the developments since its establishment.

Bhaumik calls the 149-member countries as a heterogeneous cluster and compares the WTO with an unfinished house in which the members have decided to move in, like a practice often observed in poor developing countries where people move in the semi-finished house to cut the cost and try to finish the unfinished as the budget permits.

A pertinent question at this stage is, whither WTO? Though the progress of the WTO in achievement of its original, modified and amended objectives has been rather slow, there is no doubt it is moving in the right direction because the WTO is seen by most of the member countries as responsible for substantial growth in the world economy. In fact, growth in the membership of the WTO during the last decade is itself an indicator of its relevance and usefulness, even though it has been often compared with a bus full of quarreling passengers. However, the problem is not with the bus but with its passengers. WTO members whether the developed countries, developing countries or the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have their own huge expectations, blown-up egos and regional variations of needs and demands, etc., which have caused tensions between them. Though rich, powerful and developed Western countries call it a problem of excessive democracy, developing countries like India and African economies have their own genuine apprehensions which remain to be addressed. Even the role of Director General of WTO has not been seen as fair and impartial by many members.

The author rightly argues that way out of the impending crisis of multilateralism can only be achieved by the strengthening of multilateralism and not through withholding it.

The most important agreements, which have major direct impact on developing countries like India and other members of G-20, are the Agreement of Agriculture and the Agreement on Trade–Related Intellectual Properties.

Large developing countries like Brazil, China, India, Mexico, etc., like the developed countries as well as the LDCs are not happy with the uncertainties of Doha Negotiations where the member countries agreed to conclude them by the end of 2006. There is no sign of it happening as yet.

The book also discusses issues related with future relevance of the WTO. Though the author claims that the book is no scholastic pursuit, it provides a very detailed systematic account of the WTO as an institution and gives useful suggestions to make it more relevant to all the member countries. A must read for any one interested in world affairs.

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