Given the widely-accepted premise that free trade is the best means of maximising overall societal welfare, why has it proven so difficult to achieve in certain industries? This book tackles arguably the most perennial and deep-rooted of all questions in political economy, and questions the incumbent orthodox liberal theories of collective action.

1. Introduction 2. The Multifibre Arrangement 3. The political economy of trade liberalization in textiles and clothing 4. The 'winners' and 'losers' of trade liberalization in textiles and clothing 5. The EU, China and textiles diplomacy under the WTO 6. The WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and the Caribbean 'offshore' development Model 7. The African Growth and Opportunity Act and the politics of preference erosion in the WTO Doha 'Development' Round 8. Conclusion