Beyond NAFTA: An Economic, Political and Sociological Perspective

Edelgard E. Mahant is a professor of political science at Glendon
College, York University, and co-author of An Introduction to
Canadian–American Relations.

Short of reading the entire 2000-page agreement, this book will probably
tell readers all they need to know about NAFTA. Apart from a few dated
pieces that argue for the acceptance of NAFTA, the book’s 30 articles
fall into several categories. There are some attempts at economic
analysis, including (probably worthless) predictions about the effects
NAFTA will have on trade, investment, and employment; articles by
Rodrigue Tremblay, William Watson, Jorge Juaraidini, Andrew Coyne, and
Robert Dunn fall into this category. The book’s solidly pro-NAFTA
stance is most blatantly represented in articles by Michael Wilson and
Michael Walker.

Particularly informative are A.R. Riggs and Tom Velk on U.S. trade
relations with Latin America; Gil Troy on trade policy as an issue in
presidential campaigns; Armand de Mestral on FTA and NAFTA
dispute-settlement procedures; Donald Coes and Malcolm Rowat on other
Western hemisphere preferential trade arrangements. In the book’s most
original and imaginative piece, Stephen Blank explains just how little
national sovereignty still means.

Overall, this is a useful and informative book, but one whose definite
slant should be kept in mind.