Free Trade vs Protectionism

[futurepres]

Which do you believe is the best?

Free Trade: Trading with other countries and being able to outsource or get products from other countries.

Protectionism: Trading within one nation and discouraging trade with other countries.

[Secretary Polnut]

Neither works in a pure form.

[futurepres]

Then vote on what you believe the majority portion is in the best working combination.

[fezzyfestoon]

Considering that protectionism is probably one of the single worst economic policies there is, it's pretty easy to go with free trade.

[© Tweed the Younger]

if it weren't for protectionism the US would still be heavily agrarian with some merchants along the coasts selling finished goods from Britain.

[President Marokai]

There is a perfectly fair and acceptable middle ground. As Polnut said..

Neither works in a pure form.

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

I am for freedom of movement in all its forms, but (at risk of cliché) trade cannot be free if workers are unfree.

[The Mikado]

Free trade, but not unilateral disarmament.  Trade isn't free when South Korea and China have massive tariffs against US products.

[Dr. Cynic]

I believe in fair trade. Free trade often gives up too much and protectionism gives up too little and frequently pisses other countries off. Fair trade is the only acceptable answer.

[Gustaf]

The correct short answer is that free trade is good and the way to go.

Once you study it more in-depth there is, of course, a longer somewhat more complicated answer butit is still roughly the same.

Trade restrictions can really only be argued as a special interest position and under the assumption of unequal power distribution, which is hard to justify on principle (it basically amounts to "me screwing you over because I can")

[I left.]

Considering that protectionism is probably one of the single worst economic policies there is, it's pretty easy to go with free trade.

[Formerly Californian Tony]

I strongly support free trade in most circumstances, and in general wish to make tarifs as low as possible.  However, this has to be done gradually and pragmatically, and not to shoved it down the throat of developing countries like the WTO has done for decades.

[shua]

I believe in fair trade. Free trade often gives up too much and protectionism gives up too little and frequently pisses other countries off. Fair trade is the only acceptable answer.

I'm not sure that answers anything. If two countries want to trade freely, that could be considered fair. If two countries want to be protectionist against each other, I guess that could be considered fair too.

[Communists For McCain]

Four votes for The Great Depression Protectionism?

Yuck.

[Senator Snowstalker]

Neither works in a pure form.

In general, I feel that free trade is acceptable when both nations have strong regulations and labor protections which would mean no real advantage coming from shipping jobs from one country to the other. However, being in a manufacturing state, I must say that pure free trade as the globalists want is downright dangerous.

[Cincinnatus]

Free trade.  I find it kind of odd that protectionism is even considered in the global market we have now.  Free trade ultimately benefits the consumer.  Plus, The local "Made in America" store wouldn't have nearly the sales it has under a "We lost our job to Mexicans/Chinese" society

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Free trade.  I find it kind of odd that protectionism is even considered in the global market we have now.  Free trade ultimately benefits the consumer.  Plus, The local "Made in America" store wouldn't have nearly the sales it has under a "We lost our job to Mexicans/Chinese" society

It benefits the consumer, but the citizen does not only exist as a consumer.

[Nichlemn]

Free trade. It's mutually beneficial under almost any circumstances, and at least efficient on net for the rest.

A compelling, simple argument: The Iowa Car Crop.

David’s observation is that there are two technologies for producing automobiles in America.  One is to manufacture them in Detroit, and the other is to grow them in Iowa.  Everybody knows about the first technology; let me tell you about the second.  First, you plant seeds, which are the raw material from which automobiles are constructed.  You wait a few months until wheat appears.  Then you harvest the wheat, load it onto ships, and said the ships eastward into the Pacific Ocean.  After a few months, the ships reappear with Toyotas on them.

International trade is nothing but a form of technology.  The fact that there is a place called Japan, with people and factories, is quite irrelevant to Americans’ well-being.  To analyze trade policies, we might as well assume that Japan is a giant machine with mysterious inner workings that convert wheat into cars.

[dead0man]

People that treat economics emotionally can't comprehend the subtleties of that kind of thing.

[Progressive Realist]

People that treat economics emotionally can't comprehend the subtleties of that kind of thing.

People who treat human beings as "consumers" have a bigger problem, IMO.

[Sibboleth]

Neither term accurately describes any plausible contemporary reality.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

Considering that protectionism is probably one of the single worst economic policies there is, it's pretty easy to go with free trade.

[Senator Snowstalker]

Also, I dislike the clear-cut model we're given for the poll. We can't just fully open up our markets to Somalia or Burma or Syria, but at the same time we can't shut ourselves off from the world and live entirely off of our own products.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Both are means to an end and nothing more. Trade policy should be formulated based on goals rather than an ideological commitment to one or the other.

[TJ in Wisco]

I generally support free trade unless there is a very specific reason to impose tariffs or restrictions on a particular product or country. Overall both countries invloved in an interaction experience a net benefit, even though some in each may not. Clearly areas like my home and current residence do not benefit from free trade, but it's good in the long run after the inevitable, painful economic adjustment.