Global trade: past mistakes, future choices

Greg Buckman, Zed Books, paperback, 294 pages, £9.99

Trade, together with capital movement, is central to today’s global economy. This book explains many complex trade issues in an accessible and straightforward fashion — helping trade unionists cut through the detail and grasp the essential issues.

The book looks at the last 500 years of trade, and how trade patterns have altered during that time — including in the last 50 years. It is particularly insightful about the environmental impact of trade, and the chapter on oil makes sobering reading.

Crucially, the author analyses the many alternatives to the current trade arrangements discussed in the global justice movement — opening a valuable debate not only about what is wrong with the present order but also presenting some options for change.