Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 73
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Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 74
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

                trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);

            } else {
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
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In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
&lt;/div&gt;
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those..."/>
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                <strong>Why Are Global Trade Rules Not on the Agenda During Indian Elections? -Shalini Bhutani</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /></em><br />One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br /><br />India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br /><br /><em>US strategy<br /></em><br />In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br /><br />The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br /><br />Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br /><br /><em>State governments and election promises<br /></em><br />When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/" title="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>               </font>
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;nbsp;
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

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$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

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                <strong>Why Are Global Trade Rules Not on the Agenda During Indian Elections? -Shalini Bhutani</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /></em><br />One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br /><br />India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br /><br /><em>US strategy<br /></em><br />In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br /><br />The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br /><br />Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br /><br /><em>State governments and election promises<br /></em><br />When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/" title="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>               </font>
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. 
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-TheWire.in&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&amp;rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&amp;rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&amp;rsquo;s largest democracies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;US strategy&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &amp;ndash; Republican and Democrat &amp;ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&amp;rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;State governments and election promises&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &amp;ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&amp;rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot; title=&quot;https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

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                <strong>Why Are Global Trade Rules Not on the Agenda During Indian Elections? -Shalini Bhutani</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /></em><br />One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br /><br />India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br /><br /><em>US strategy<br /></em><br />In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br /><br />The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br /><br />Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br /><br /><em>State governments and election promises<br /></em><br />When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/" title="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>               </font>
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-TheWire.in<br />
<br />
<em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
</em><br />
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br />
<br />
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br />
<br />
<em>US strategy<br />
</em><br />
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br />
<br />
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br />
<br />
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br />
<br />
<em>State governments and election promises<br />
</em><br />
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br />
<br />
Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. 
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...',
	'disp' => '<div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /></em><br />One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br /><br />India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br /><br /><em>US strategy<br /></em><br />In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br /><br />The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br /><br />Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br /><br /><em>State governments and election promises<br /></em><br />When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/" title="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>',
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	'title' => 'Why Are Global Trade Rules Not on the Agenda During Indian Elections? -Shalini Bhutani',
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-TheWire.in<br />
<br />
<em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
</em><br />
One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br />
<br />
India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br />
<br />
<em>US strategy<br />
</em><br />
In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br />
<br />
The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br />
<br />
Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br />
<br />
<em>State governments and election promises<br />
</em><br />
When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br />
<br />
Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. 
</div>
<div align="justify">
&nbsp;
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-TheWire.in

In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those...'
$disp = '<div align="justify">-TheWire.in<br /><br /><em>In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn&rsquo;t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /></em><br />One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it&rsquo;s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world&rsquo;s largest democracies.<br /><br />India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India.<br /><br /><em>US strategy<br /></em><br />In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties &ndash; Republican and Democrat &ndash; had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries.<br /><br />The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people&rsquo;s lives and livelihoods.<br /><br />Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states.<br /><br /><em>State governments and election promises<br /></em><br />When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included &ldquo;involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce&rdquo;. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/" title="https://thewire.in/117011/global-trade-election-agenda/">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>'
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Why Are Global Trade Rules Not on the Agenda During Indian Elections? -Shalini Bhutani

-TheWire.in In a country where a majority of the population is engaged in increasingly unviable agriculture, shouldn’t politicians talk about the trade rules that make it so?                 One cannot help but draw parallels between the elections in the US and those in the states in India. While it is best left to psephologists to analyse voting patterns and election results, it’s telling to compare the issues on which the elections are fought in the world’s largest democracies. India claims to be a mature democracy and often likens itself to the US. Yet, there are huge differences between the two democracies, to say the least. One such difference is in pre-election debates. The subjects discussed in the two countries also show far less similarities; trade rules were on the election agenda in the US, while they found no mention whatsoever in the state elections in India. US strategy In the US presidential elections, candidates from both parties – Republican and Democrat – had taken a clear stand against trade agreements. Did the average American voter on the street know enough about the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Maybe they did not. But the presidential candidates made trade rules an issue and, in doing so, built public opinion against free trade agreements (FTAs). Amongst the first executive orders that US President Donald Trump signed was the one withdrawing the US from the talks on the 12-country TPP. He did not want to be seen endorsing a trade agreement that outsourced jobs to other countries. The strategic value of raising trade rules in any current election campaign cannot be understated. This is because today, trade rules agreed between countries inform all the policy decisions of governments, be it on water, seeds, health, education, technology or investment. The net effect of legally binding rules of trade is that governments have lesser domestic space on subjects of vital importance to people’s lives and livelihoods. Messaging from political parties at the time of elections when the voter is listening is an opportunity to educate the electorate far beyond the immediate elections. By doing so, a candidate or her political party can mobilise a constituency, on the back of whom the elected representatives can also get the strength to ward off any pressure from trade partners once they are in power. This is provided the political elite does want to safeguard the interests of the weakest and smallest in their country. For FTAs are largely driven by corporate interests, apart from geo-political ambitions of states. State governments and election promises When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, its election manifesto promise on Centre-state relations included “involv(ing) the state governments in the promotion of foreign trade and commerce”. But consultation with state governments on the FTAs that the central government is negotiating (like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP) is still to be institutionalised. Please click here to read more.