This introductory article on the "Analysis of National and International Aims and Interests in Trade" does not attempt an exhaustive study of any phase of foreign trade. It briefly discusses various aspects of trade relationships between countries, with particular reference to the trade interests and policies of the United States. It also summarizes trade characteristics influential in the determination of our National and International trade aims. For detailed analyses of special international

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... trade problems, the reader is referred to the other articles in this symposium. FOREIGN AND DoMEsTIc TRADE RELATIONSHIPS Modern transportation and communication have forced a revolution in distribution, creating an international market for more and more local products. Paralleling this increase in the number of items and volume of foreign trade, the world has also been afflicted with a growth in new and more cumbersome trade barriers. To make more domestic products "go international," the amount of trade between nations must grow; to make this possible, trade barriers must be curtailed or eliminated. Hence, the nations of the world in the postwar period should turn to fuller cooperation in the field of international trade. If foreign trade or the lack thereof is a major source of conflict between nations -aggravated by unemployment, depressions, social unrest, and upheavals-then the aims and interests of national trade should be tied more closely with that of international. If nationalistic trade practices can only bring temporary advantages, each state should design its trade policies to accomplish international aims which are deemed advantageous to all over a long period of time.