World Trade Organization

The WTO provides the institutional infrastructure for global trade rules, dispute resolution, and negotiations. Established in 1995 as successor to GATT, it embodies the post-WWII consensus that rules-based trade reduces conflict and increases prosperity. The organization demonstrates how standardized protocols enable complex exchange systems.

Like molecular recognition systems in biology, trade rules create predictability that enables specialization and exchange. When rules break down or are circumvented, the system experiences friction similar to immune dysfunction. The WTO's dispute settlement mechanism has resolved hundreds of trade conflicts, though increasing geopolitical tension has strained its effectiveness.