ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates some of the major questions on the relation between political parties and trade in North America. It describes that validity for the moment and asks why the stands taken towards trade by the various political parties in North America have changed over time. The chapter addresses some of the basic economic questions which surround the notion of a trading area such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It demonstrates some yardsticks for determining whether political party stands on trade policy have fundamentally shifted over time. The chapter explores the question whether theoretical generalization about the link between political party and trade liberalization in North America is possible. The proposed NAFTA differs substantially from its logical point of comparison, the European Community, in two ways: the asymmetry of its trading structure and the uncertainty over whether it is, in fact, an economic bloc.
