The refsnes seminar: Economic theory and north–south negotiations

This paper attempts to assess existing economic theory and its use by policy-makers in North-South negotiations. Particular attention is directed at international trade in manufactures, primary commodity issues, and international monetary questions. Problems considered include: weak theory, the employment of overly crude models by policy-makers, paradigm clash, implicit bias, and inadequate knowledge of facts. An agenda for further research and possible action concludes the discussion. The paper is a personal summary of the discussions in a conference on the relevance of economic theory to NIEO negotiations.