This book investigates the moral requirements of international trade and argues for a fundamental restructuring of the global economic order to achieve justice. Mathias Risse and Gabriel Wollner, both scholars in political philosophy, utilize a framework of normative ethics to evaluate the current global trade regime. They contend that existing trade agreements often exacerbate inequalities and fail to meet basic standards of fairness, proposing a new global deal that prioritizes human rights and distributive justice over mere market efficiency.

Scholars in political theory and international relations frequently cite this work for its rigorous application of moral philosophy to complex economic structures. Experts highlight the text as a significant contribution to the debate on global institutional reform and distributive justice.