본 논문의 목적은 왜 ‘80년대 미국의 통상정책은 GATT로부터 괴리한 특정적 상호주의를 취했으며, 90년대 중반에는 WTO의 일반적인 상호주의에 회귀했는가?’라는 기본적인 질문에 대답하려는 것이다. 본 논문은 미국의 통상정책을 설명하는 다양하고 복잡한 가설 중에서 우선 80년대, 90년대를 통해 미국 통상정책의 변화를 설명하는 가장 간소한(parsimonious) 가설로서 패권안정론을 채택해 검증하고자 한다. 그리고 패권안정론이 어느 정도 기본적인 질문에 대답할 수 있는지를 분명히 하고, 패권안정론으로는 설명할 수 없는 대상을 밝혀 새로운 질문으로서 설정하는 것이다. 결론적으로 패권안정론에 근거한 가설은 일정한 설명력은 있지만, 미국의 통상정책 변화를 설명하기에는 몇 가지 한계가 있음을 분석하였다.

This paper focuses on the development(and the process of divergence and convergence) of the principle of reciprocity in U.S. trade policy and GATT/WTO. First I will draws on the arguments of hegemonic stability theory as articulated by realist thinkers. I will focus primarily on the distribution of power, relative position, and the role of the state(U.S.) and state calculations of power and interest in deriving explanations of foreign trade policy behavior. The fundamental stance of reciprocity in trade relations shaped U.S. trade policy from the postwar period through the 1970s when U.S. had the hegemonic power. But, in conclusion, the hypothesis of this thesis has a several limitations(time lag etc.) according to the empirical evidence and arguments of hegemonic stability theory.

This paper focuses on the development(and the process of divergence and convergence) of the principle of reciprocity in U.S. trade policy and GATT/WTO. First I will draws on the arguments of hegemonic stability theory as articulated by realist thinkers. I will focus primarily on the distribution of power, relative position, and the role of the state(U.S.) and state calculations of power and interest in deriving explanations of foreign trade policy behavior. The fundamental stance of reciprocity in trade relations shaped U.S. trade policy from the postwar period through the 1970s when U.S. had the hegemonic power. But, in conclusion, the hypothesis of this thesis has a several limitations(time lag etc.) according to the empirical evidence and arguments of hegemonic stability theory.

American Trade Policy, Hegemonic Stability Theory, GATT/WTO, liberal economic order, multilateralism