A World Without Walls
A World Without Walls
Freedom, Development, Free Trade and Global
Governance
Cambridge University Press review
Mike Moore’s reflection on his time as Director-General of the World Trade Organization is an important addition to the great globalization debate. Moore explains how a boy, who left school at fourteen to work in a slaughterhouse, came to head an organization charged with bringing rules and order to the world’s trading system. Arriving at the WTO shortly before the ill-fated Seattle meeting, Moore sought to reform the Organization, addressing the concerns of poorer countries and engaging in open debate with the often hostile NGOs. He is proud of the outcome of the Doha meeting in November 2001 which secured commitment to a new round of trade talks with a focus on development. Moore rebuts the attacks against the WTO arguing that the WTO’s promise of rules-based free trade offers the best hope for lifting millions of the world’s poorest citizens out of poverty.
Reviews
'Mike Moore makes a strong case for the benefits of free trade and open markets. But he warns that global governance needs to be rethought to cope with the challenges of globalization. A wide ranging and thought-provoking book.'
George Soros, author of George Soros on Globalization
'Mike, a man essentially educated by the brute force of real-life challenges, has produced in this book an honest account of his very fine tenure as WTO Director-General. Those curious about either the evolution of the multilateral trading system, or interesting leaders, will find this book very enjoyable.'
Ernesto Zedillo, Former President of Mexico‘Mike Moore is that rare politician: a doer who is also a thinker. He pulled off Doha, putting the bumbling failure of Seattle behind us. In this fascinating book, he demonstrates that he can also speak to intellectuals, placing trade liberalization, indeed globalization, into an ambitious but realistic framework that can serve as an effective antidote to the anti-globalizers. And he does it elegantly and articulately. New Zealand has two great voices: Kiri Te Kanawa and Mike Moore.’
Jagdish Bhagwati, Columbia University and author of Free Trade Today‘A World Without Walls is excellent at giving a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors in the negotiating process, viewed from the position of an official mandated to bring together the different parties and to secure an agreement.’
Times Higher Education Supplement
‘… a fascinating read … Moore is a very gifted writer. He supports his arguments through a wide range of sources and an extensive and reflective discussion which makes this book interesting and relevant to a wider audience beyond just academia or professionals interested in trade negotiations.’
International Affairs
‘A well-written and extremely readable book which provides a useful introduction to the reality of globalisation.’
Morning Star
