This book addresses the controversial call for international laborstandards, seeking to productively further this debate byconsidering the economic implications and history of thesestandards. A result of an initiative by Professor Kaushik Basu inhis capacity as member of the Expert Group of Development Issues(EGDI) sponsored by the Swedish Foreign Ministry, the contributionsare based on discussions at a seminar held in Stockholm in August2001. Compiling the best research in the field, this book providesa solid basis for policy decisions, while also serving as achallenging text for students in trade, development, and laboreconomics.* * Analyzes the economic implications and history of internationallabor standards.* Productively furthers the debate about intervening withinternational labor standardsStems from a seminar organized throughthe Expert Group on Development Issues (EGDI), sponsored by theSwedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Part I.Introduction: Kaushik Basu, Henrik Horn, Lisa Román, JudithShapiro.Part II: The Evolution of Labor Standards:.1. The History and Political Economy of International LaborStandards: Stanley Engerman (Rochester University).Commentary 1.1 The Parallels Between the Past and the Present:Jane Humphries (All-Souls College, Oxford University).Commentary 1.2 Legislation Versus Bargaining Power: TheEvolution of Scandinavian Labor Standards: Karl-Ove Moene andMichael Wallerstein (Oslo University).Part III: The Theory of International LaborStandards:.2. The Impact of International Labor Standards. A Survey ofEconomic Theory: Nirvikar Singh (University of California, SantaCruz).Commentary 2.1 Old Wine in New Bottles?: T.N. Srinivasan (YaleUniversity).Commentary 2.2 Governing Labor Relations: Tore Ellingsen(Stockholm School of Economics).Part IV: The Issue Of Child Labor:.3. Child Labor: Theory, Evidence and Policy: Drusilla Brown(Tufts University), Alan Deardorff (Michigan University), andRobert Stern (Michigan University).Commentary 3.1 The Political Economy of Child Labor: AlanKrueger (Princeton University).Commentary 3.2 Social Norms, Coordination and Policy Issues inthe Fight Against Child Labor: Luis-Felipe López-Calva (ElColegio de Mexico).Part V: The International Organisation and Enforcementof Labor Standards:.4. A Role For The WTO: Robert Staiger (University ofWisconsin).Commentary 4.1 Trade and Labor Standards. To Link or Not toLink?: Alan L Winters (University of Sussex).Commentary 4.2 The Need to Micro-Manage Regulatory Diversity:Petros Mavroidis (University of Neuchatel).Index.