Do you believe the Doha round would be successful?

Question

Do you believe the Doha round would be successful?

Answer 1

Not unless developed countries significantly reduce their agricultural subsidies - something they've shown little inclination to do so far.

It seems ridiculous that in this day and age we have to protect farmers from competition; just about everything else is opened up to global competition but not the production of agricultural commodities, which in most cases require and employ fewer and fewer workers as time goes on.

It's only rich, powerful, vested interests being "protected" by these subsidies. Meanwhile, the less-developed world is prevented from following a time-tested path to development: exporting that which their level of development permits them to export economically - basic agricultural products.