Arguably, transnational collective action goes back as far as the creation of national borders themselves, but more immediate historical precursors of advocacy transnationalism include campaigns for women's suffrage (between 1888 and 1928) and the movement against foot binding in China (from 1874 to 1911) (Keck and Sikkink 1998: ch. 2). Other precedents include transnational political and ideological movements such as those led by organizations of anarchists, communists and socialists, faith-based movements and organizations, and labor collaboration that crossed national borders before and after Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel's famous call for the workers of the world to unite (Marx and Engels [1847] 1998).

The trade policy arena itself has historically been a contentious one, so much so that recent mobilizations cannot be seen as entirely innovative. It has also been a multifaceted arena. Because of the potential impacts of trade policies on productive systems, on the labor market, prices of goods, and technological innovation, decisions about trade have always been a part of broader economic and political debates about development models, international relations, and the role of the state. More specifically, the interfaces between trade and other policy arenas, such as the environment, food safety, or human rights, have not been ignored in the past. Furthermore, because of the fact that gains and losses from trade are unevenly distributed, the moral implications of trade have been an inseparable part of policy debates.