Final answer:
The statement that global trade negotiations over the past 60 years have led to reduced tariff and non-tariff barriers among countries is true, with average tariffs decreasing significantly and international trade experiencing a surge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that over the past 60 years or so, there has been a dramatic reduction in tariff and non-tariff barriers among countries is true. After the Great Depression, global trade began experiencing significant changes. One of the key platforms for these changes was the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations, which led to a substantial decrease in barriers to trade. The average level of tariffs on imported products charged by industrialized countries was 40% in 1946, but this figure had decreased to less than 5% by 1990. This considerable tariff reduction, accompanied by advances in transportation, communication, and information management, has significantly facilitated international trade.
GATT negotiations, along with technological advancements, have contributed to a surge in international trade over the last half-century. Tariff barriers were so substantially reduced that negotiations shifted to a broader agenda. The U.S. followed a similar pattern, with tariffs falling to less than 2% towards the end of the 20th century. While metrics for import quotas and non-tariff barriers are less precise, they are generally considered to have lowered as well, complementing the reduction in tariffs.