The World Trade Organization (WTO) started in 1995, taking over from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that was around since 1948. It involves 136 nations agreeing on trade rules, negotiating to cut trade barriers, and solving disputes. Economists think that the 50 years of trade with fewer barriers led to great economic growth for many countries. However, some people have lost jobs due to the changes, though they're not a big portion of U.S. jobs.