Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book consists of the relevant literature within the context of three major political paradigms; realism, liberalism, and radicalism. It begins with the literature on realism, which focuses on scholars whose opinions are suggestive of the importance of the United States national interest and the acquisition of national power. The book provides an historical perspective of the relationship between trade and human rights in United States foreign policy. It highlights the institutional mechanisms through which the United States has exercised economic leverage to further the progress of human rights. The book discusses the theoretical findings of the several hypotheses, which draws upon elements of past approaches while considering complex interdependence as a causal factor in the U. S. decision to delink trade from human rights in 1994.