If the purpose of legalization is to enhance international cooperation, mor
e may not always be better. Achieving the optimal level of legalization req
uires finding a balance between reducing the risks of opportunism and reduc
ing the potential negative effects of legalization on domestic political pr
ocesses. The global trade regime, which aims to liberalize trade, has becom
e increasingly legalized over time. Increased legalization has changed the
information environment and the nature of government obligations, which in
turn have affected the pattern of mobilization of domestic interest groups
on trade. From the perspective of encouraging the future expansion of liber
al trade, we suggest some possible negative consequences of legalization, a
rguing that these consequences must be weighed against the positive effects
of legalization on increasing national compliance, Since the weakly legali
zed GATT institution proved sufficient to sustain widespread liberalization
, the case for further legalization must be strong to justify far-reaching
change in the global trade regime.