When an industry faces strong competition, it can adjust or seek protection through government trade policy. A look at the causes, course, and consequences of such competitive shifts in the steel and consumer electronics industries shows why the battle over protectionism has heated up recently.

The WTO aspires to universal membership, but the process of joining has become very lengthy and many countries have faced particularly difficult and prolonged negotiations. The WTO applies a detailed and legalistic approach to accession, due to its accumulation of policy coverage over the years...