WTO is a trade system, which extends philosophy of GATT, i.e. freedom, indiscriminateness and multilateralism. WTO requires not only free trade but also free investment, protection of intellectual property and open agricultural markets. However, agricultural markets appear more exclusive than manufacturing markets due to agriculture protection policies of developed countries. Few countries, i.e. Brazil, Argentina and Australia request full opening of agricultural markets. Asian and African countries demand open agricultural markets, while they require higher export price of agricultural products through fair trade. Smith and Ricardo illustrate principle of foreign trade. Smith's notion of absolute production cost and Ricardo's relative production cost are seen as basic principle of foreign trade policies. The relative production cost theory has been applied to international division of labour between industrial countries and agricultural countries. In the areas of sluggish capitalistic development and in former colonies agriculture has been a specific trade sector. Former colonies were forced to be suppliers of food and materials. Today developing countries are involved in international allocation by agribusinesses and multinational enterprises, thus it seems difficult for them to achieve self-reliant economic development. Developing countries demand free trade due to detriment in agricultural sector. Today's world economy pursues spread of free trade, while protection policies are taken. US subsidies and EU CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) remarkably hinder open agriculture markets, which is one of reasons why the WTO principles can not be fully enforced. The Japanese government takes full open market policy for manufacturing, while protection policy is applied to some agricultural products. Capitalism needs protection of agricultural sector for various types of land ownership, development of agriculture-related sectors, and domination of domestic markets by agribusinesses and multinational enterprises. Increasing integration of regional economies, i.e. EU and NAFTA also drives protection of regional markets. Today's international economy appears to spread WTO principles as well as to accept protection policies.
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