Protectionism Is Popular, but Stupid

A lot of unemployed Americans want to blame people in China for the fact that no one wants to hire them for $40,000 and full medical/dental/retirement.

What they’re not willing to do is go back to college to get an education that’s updated to the day’s most in-demand jobs & skills. What they are willing to do is start a global trade war because of the mistaken belief that cutting off a huge part of our economy will somehow make them richer.

In the meantime, everyone in a business that actually makes stuff people want around the world will suffer in order to protect some of our low-skilled labor.

In the long run, a breakdown of international trade can lead to increasing military hostilities. There was a whole decade of global economic depression and trade wars before WW2 broke out.

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    […] protectionists argue about who gets to stand in the tire assembly plants of the world, China is quietly acquiring […]

     

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