This paper adresses how the defence of local culture is becoming an increasing concern in the current era of globalisation, as diminishing transport costs and new forms of communication are enabling worldwide dissemination of products and ideas. The import of cultural goods from nations with disparate values and traditions is investigated, which could potentially cause the destabilisation of national or local communities. Indeed, these cultural goods may displace existing products and result in cultural homogenisation.
Also, this paper looks at measures designed to protect culture which are exempt from WTO consideration and disputes between nations are negotiated bilaterally. As a result, fears that larger economies, such as the US, are able to dominate the cultural industries of smaller nations are investigated.
Finally, this paper makes two main recommendations concerning domestic policy and concerning international trade policy. Through the development of a methodology which can develop agreements on more easily recognisable cultural interests - those less clouded by economic motivations - such a body would be able to tackle the more complex and problematic issues, with the aim of separating economic and political issues from genuine cultural concerns.
Table of Contents
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2 INTRODUCTION
3 PROTECTIONISM
3.1 NEW VS. OLD PROTECTIONISM
3.2 JUSTIFYING PROTECTIONISM
4 CULTURAL PROTECTIONISM
4.1 INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY AND CULTURAL PROTECTIONISM
4.2 CULTURAL PROTECTIONISM POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF CRITICAL DEBATE
5 CASE STUDY I: THE MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF EUROPEAN FARMERS
5.1 THE POSITION OF EUROPEAN FARMERS
5.2 THE VALIDITY OF EUROPEAN FARMING SUBSIDIES
5.3 CONCLUSION: MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF EUROPEAN FARMERS
6 CASE STUDY II: THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE DISPUTE
6.1 THE EMERGENCE OF THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE DISPUTE
6.2 NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL POLICY MATTER?
6.3 CONCLUSION: CANADIAN MAGAZINE DISPUTE
7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 RECOMMENDATIONS
Research Objectives and Themes
This report examines the validity of cultural protectionism by analyzing whether state intervention in trade, ostensibly to defend local culture, constitutes a legitimate non-trade concern or is merely economic protectionism in disguise. The research explores the theoretical underpinnings of protectionist policies and evaluates them through the lens of two distinct case studies: the multifunctional role of European agriculture and the bilateral trade dispute regarding the Canadian magazine industry.
- The theoretical framework of economic protectionism versus cultural preservation.
- The concept of "multifunctionality" in European farming and its economic implications.
- The dynamics of the Canadian magazine dispute and the influence of U.S. trade policy.
- The role of international institutions like the WTO in mediating trade disputes involving cultural goods.
- Policy recommendations for domestic and international strategies to reconcile trade liberalization with the protection of cultural identity.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 New vs. Old Protectionism
Protectionism can be regarded as the intervention of the state in the process of trade between nations. This intervention manifests itself in the set of actions and measures taken by governments to restrict the importation of foreign goods and defend domestic producers.
The traditional policy instrument of protectionism is the import tariff, which historically has been the most important aspect of commercial policy. In 1947, the world’s 23 major industrialised nations drew up the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The GATT organisation became the spearhead for international trade liberalisation by "limiting tariffs, controlling the use of non-tariff barriers, and eliminating discriminatory treatment in international commerce"1. Carmody (1999) states that, "they believed they were creating a trading system in order to make a better material world, a better world that could be distinguished from, and co-exist with, cultures, rather than change them forever."
In the mid-1970s, a new form of protectionism proliferated, slowing the progressive liberalisation of international trade. This new form of protectionism relied on new forms of non-tariff trade barriers and was commonly referred to as the ‘New Protectionism’. To combat this, in January 1995, mainly as a result of the Uruguay trade round and the subsequent Marrakech Declaration2, GATT was transferred into a permanent intergovernmental body, the WTO, dealing with trade between (member) nations through multilateral agreements.
Summary of Chapters
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This chapter provides an overview of the challenges globalization poses to local culture and introduces the report's focus on the "multifunctionality" of European farms and the Canadian magazine dispute.
2 INTRODUCTION: Outlines the research scope, clarifying the intention to examine the theoretical validity of cultural protectionism and the resulting economic implications.
3 PROTECTIONISM: Discusses the evolution from traditional tariffs to "New Protectionism" and explains why governments utilize trade intervention to support domestic industries.
4 CULTURAL PROTECTIONISM: Analyzes the subjective definition of culture and explores the critical debate regarding whether state support for cultural identity is an intrusion on free trade.
5 CASE STUDY I: THE MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF EUROPEAN FARMERS: Investigates the argument that EU farming supports rural vitality and cultural heritage, while questioning if these subsidies are actually masks for protectionist agricultural policies.
6 CASE STUDY II: THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE DISPUTE: Examines the conflict between Canada and the US regarding split-run magazines, highlighting the difficulty of protecting national identity within international trade obligations.
7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Synthesizes findings from both case studies and proposes domestic policy shifts and the creation of an international regulatory body to better address cultural concerns.
Keywords
Cultural protectionism, globalization, multifunctionality, European Union, Common Agricultural Policy, Canadian magazine dispute, WTO, trade liberalization, international trade theory, national identity, cultural industries, protectionist measures, trade disputes, economic policy, subsidies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper evaluates whether government measures designed to protect local culture from global trade are genuine, or if they are simply disguised forms of economic protectionism used to protect uncompetitive domestic industries.
What are the central thematic areas covered in the report?
The report centers on the tension between trade liberalization and the preservation of cultural identity, specifically investigating the multifunctionality of European agriculture and the Canadian magazine market dispute.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary goal is to determine the economic and cultural validity of using protectionist trade barriers to defend local traditions and industries, and to provide recommendations for better policy management.
Which scientific methods or analytical approaches are utilized?
The research utilizes a comparative case study approach, analyzing existing trade theories and legal frameworks, such as the WTO agreements, alongside empirical examples of state intervention.
What core topics are addressed in the main body?
The body chapters cover the historical transition to "New Protectionism," the difficulties in defining culture, the arguments surrounding European farm subsidies, and the specific trade conflict between Canada and the US regarding media content.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include cultural protectionism, multifunctionality, globalization, WTO, and international trade policy.
How does the concept of "multifunctionality" relate to EU agricultural subsidies?
The concept is used by the EU to argue that farming serves vital cultural and environmental roles beyond mere food production, thus justifying continued government support despite the global push for trade liberalization.
What conclusion is drawn regarding the Canadian magazine dispute?
The report concludes that the dispute highlights the futility of national attempts to protect cultural industries without clear, standardized definitions and international procedures, ultimately showing that such efforts are often overshadowed by global economic power dynamics.
- Quote paper
- Ben Beiske (Author), L. Cai (Author), J. Murray (Author), S. White (Author), 2002, A Consideration of the Validity of Cultural Protectionism with Reference to the Multifunctionality of European Farms and the Canadian Magazine Dispute, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/15452
