This ATL is based on the notion of a Liberal Democratic Trading Bloc existing as of 2007.
Basically, the trade bloc mirrors the pre-1990's European Community, so lets call it the Liberal Democratic Community (LDC). Basically it functions as a customs union organisation for all nations that meet minimum liberal democratic standards and that wish to apply for membership. A customs union is basically the same as a free trade bloc except that all nations within it agree to have identical policies regarding non-member states. So trade policy ceases to be a national issue and is dealt with by the LDC.
I assume in this timeline that members of the LDC include EU NAFTA Japan Australia New Zealand as well as possibly the Southern Cone Latin American nations (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay). Basically liberal democratic nations with a least an 'upper-middle' level of national GDP by world standards.
The nations of the LDC are disparate so I speculate that trade deals and internal regulation would be very complex so as to satisfy all the special interests. The old 'a camel is a horse designed by a committee' metaphor springs to mind. For instance Australia and New Zealand have very different economic sectors to the other nations, ie. strong agricultural sector as opposed to industrial. However, these differences can probably be papered by generous agricultural subsidies, vis-a-vis OTL EU.
With a POD no later than sometime in the 1980's what would be the set of circumstances that would allow this to ATl to occur by 2007.
Bonus points if you can get the LDC to on the verge of becoming a common market (free movement of labour as well as capital and goods) by 2007
Basically, the trade bloc mirrors the pre-1990's European Community, so lets call it the Liberal Democratic Community (LDC). Basically it functions as a customs union organisation for all nations that meet minimum liberal democratic standards and that wish to apply for membership. A customs union is basically the same as a free trade bloc except that all nations within it agree to have identical policies regarding non-member states. So trade policy ceases to be a national issue and is dealt with by the LDC.
I assume in this timeline that members of the LDC include EU NAFTA Japan Australia New Zealand as well as possibly the Southern Cone Latin American nations (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay). Basically liberal democratic nations with a least an 'upper-middle' level of national GDP by world standards.
The nations of the LDC are disparate so I speculate that trade deals and internal regulation would be very complex so as to satisfy all the special interests. The old 'a camel is a horse designed by a committee' metaphor springs to mind. For instance Australia and New Zealand have very different economic sectors to the other nations, ie. strong agricultural sector as opposed to industrial. However, these differences can probably be papered by generous agricultural subsidies, vis-a-vis OTL EU.
With a POD no later than sometime in the 1980's what would be the set of circumstances that would allow this to ATl to occur by 2007.
Bonus points if you can get the LDC to on the verge of becoming a common market (free movement of labour as well as capital and goods) by 2007