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Why are liberals so deluded on free trade?First of all, there's no reason why the Western working class has to take the hits of globalization. One could easily imagine a counterfactual history where working class declines were compensated by increased taxation on the rich and better welfare. (That this didn't happen is largely due to neoliberals eliminating trade barriers and cutting welfare at the same time.)
But the more fundamental thing to note is that rich nations almost universally got rich behind stiff tariffs and other anti-trade measures. That was true of the United States in the 19th century, and it was true of Japan and South Korea in the 20th century. The reason for such trade policies was perfectly obvious at the time. As Sven Beckert details in Empire of Cotton, before the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of cotton growing and textile manufacturing happened in India and China. But as Britain hit on the first instance of spectacular productivity growth, they flooded the Asian markets with very cheap textiles — and enforced their access to those markets with military force.
I would love to see some data supporting the claims he made there.
In any event, I can't help to laugh at the complaints of cheap products.
Ryan Cooper
Why are liberals so deluded on free trade?
FINALLY we are talking about this.
THANKS DON!
Seriously.
"One could easily imagine a counterfactual history where working class declines were compensated by increased taxation on the rich and better welfare."
I guess i feel like, as a liberal, i'm in favor of increased taxation on the rich and better welfare.
At the very least, better welfare.
So who is the article really criticizing ?
Ryan Cooper
Why are liberals so deluded on free trade?
FINALLY we are talking about this.
THANKS DON!
Seriously.
Why are conservatives so deluded about liberals...and everything else!
In any event, I can't help to laugh at the complaints of cheap products.
Why are conservatives so deluded about liberals...and everything else!
Ryan Cooper
Why are liberals so deluded on free trade?
FINALLY we are talking about this.
THANKS DON!
Seriously.
You could have stopped at deluded, or , brainwashed.
"The law,in its majestic equality,forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges,to beg in the streets,and to steal bread" ~ Anatole France.
"Better days are coming." ~ But not for today's out of touch,running out of time,GOP.
Wait and see.
I laugh every time I take something that used to last damn near a lifetime to the dump in less than three years.
I am so sick of cheap crap made by who knows who, with nobody in the system caring about quality.
The last example of this was a lamp.
This is sarcasm BTW.
I cry.
Wait a minute. Are conservatives advocating government participation in the marketplace, government interference with free markets? And complaining because liberals favour free trade?
Is this conservative asking for more government control?
Free trade creates opportunity and efficiency. It allows markets to specialize in what they are efficient at producing. It incentivizes innovation and thus creates more higher paying jobs and a higher quality of living.
You really have to stop listening to idiots that think holding the market back is a good idea.
I am a socialist, as you should know....and you think that argument is going to work on me?
OOOKKKAYYYY........
:bon_voyag
As a socialist I'm sure you can find a flaw in my argument, right?
I am a socialist, as you should know....and you think that argument is going to work on me???
OOOKKKAYYYY........
:bon_voyag
Lol, what?
Here I thought you were a small-government conservative, turns out, you're something even worse!
Ya, Markets dont always work, they are only sometimes the right tool for the job, as almost any socialist with any common sense will tell you.
Free markets, and more importantly free flow of capital, has gotten the American working class, and much of the middle class, ****ED!
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