Subsidiarity: A principle for global trade governance?

Walzenbach, Gunter

Abstract

One day, evolution in governance might lead to a world state with an ability to develop globally binding norms and rules. Then a world government would stand above individual countries and make the most of an irrevocable transfer of sovereignty. Yet, this power transfer would be partial, if this world republic is organised along federal lines with considerable autonomy remaining in the hands of constituent units of formerly independent nation states. In fact, global governance as a vertical system operating at multiple levels entices large groups of political actors to demand subsidiarity as a tool that effectively constrains the exercise of global authority. In the case of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its economic liberalisation policy, for example, this process is already under way and has progressed further than in some other issue areas discussed in this volume.

• Online Publication Date: Mar 20, 2021
• Publication Date: Feb 21, 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 4, 2021
• Pages: 171-184
• Book Title: Varieties of European subsidiarity: A multidisciplinary approach
• Chapter Number: 13
• ISBN: 9781910814574
• Keywords: subsidiarity, multi-level governance, World Trade Organisation (WTO)
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7885124
• Publisher URL: https://www.e-ir.info/publication/varieties-of-european-subsidiarity-a-multidisciplinary-approach/