B11. Asia, China, and Global Trade - What went wrong?

International trade began with the Silk Road and Marco Polo, and developed into imperial competition and control in Asia. The end of WWII brought both a new trade and political structure, promoting free and open markets leading to the WTO and a new world trading system. Asian economies emerged as dominant participants in the new global supply chain, the “Asian Miracle”.  China then emerged from years of isolation to become the dominant Asian economy. Investment soared and global trade was transformed. But China retained old ideas and institutions, and has turned away. Trade and political conflict have emerged. What happened? How could so much hope go so wrong?

Instructor: Pete Murphy retired from teaching Management in the Business Studies Department at Assumption College in August of 2011. He came to Assumption after a long career in the international energy industry managing a variety of business and technical organizations.