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tormund
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Free Trade is obviously an important issue in politics around the world. Could anyone give me reasons for or against free trade between the US and Canada(i.e. the pros and cons)? t'would be much appreciated.
thnx
thnx
ascapoccia said:that is only discussing trade in goods. trade in labor and capital is a little more complicated. but people tend to focus on trade in goods when discussing free trade.
tormund said:Free Trade is obviously an important issue in politics around the world. Could anyone give me reasons for or against free trade between the US and Canada(i.e. the pros and cons)? t'would be much appreciated.
thnx
While you are at it Danger check out what Canada has done to imports of US corn, etc, etc.Danger said:'Free Trade' with the US is a joke, and a one-way street.
Just check on what 'free trade' (meaning 'huge levies') is doing to the BC softwood business.
ascapoccia said:because if you try to use governement policy to dictate the economy, it becomes hijacked by special interest groups, inefficiency, and the major issue of trying to please everyone.
It's not just the US, this is a general problem of government:CRGreathouse said:I see this increasingly in modern American political life. $10 of hurt for $1 of help, but the $1 is concentrated and the $10 is spread out.
Of course both major American parties are guilty of this heinous conduct.
AeroFunk said:Free Trade is Awesome!
Trade is not a zero-sum game. When ever two people engage in an exchange both parties benefit (otherwise they would have agreed to the trade). Trade also expands the division of labor, allowing more specialization, and increased wealth. Any restriction on trade is a form of impoverishment. We build bridges across rivers and dig holes through mountains in order to trade with others, yet we enact artificial barriers like tariffs and quotas in order to "protect" certain companies.
See this article on free trade: http://econlib.org/library/Enc/FreeTrade.html"
That's the advantage of free trade, they work hard to extract oil and you give them little green pieces of paper that are worthless except to buy stuff from you that you want to sell them at whatever price you choose.bleedblue1234 said:We have not 'traded' more than simply pieces of paper to people in the BRIC and emerging countries in exchange for their goods and services.
mgb_phys said:That's the advantage of free trade, they work hard to extract oil and you give them little green pieces of paper that are worthless except to buy stuff from you that you want to sell them at whatever price you choose.
It's like Walmart being allowed to pay it's suppliers in Walmart gift tokens!
Free trade is a concept in economics that refers to the exchange of goods and services between countries without any barriers or restrictions, such as tariffs or quotas. It allows countries to specialize in producing and exporting goods that they have a comparative advantage in, leading to increased efficiency and economic growth.
Free trade can lead to lower prices for consumers, increased market competition, and access to a wider variety of goods and services. It also allows for the efficient allocation of resources and can lead to economic growth and job creation.
Free trade can lead to job loss in certain industries, particularly in countries with lower labor costs. It can also result in a trade deficit for some countries and may lead to a loss of domestic industries if they cannot compete with cheaper imported goods.
Although free trade can have positive effects on developing countries by increasing access to markets and promoting economic growth, it can also lead to exploitation and inequality. Developing countries may not have the resources or infrastructure to compete with larger, more developed countries, resulting in a disadvantage in the global market.
Some alternative trade policies to free trade include protectionism, where a country imposes restrictions on imports to protect domestic industries, and fair trade, which aims to ensure fair wages and working conditions for producers in developing countries. Other alternatives include regional trade agreements and managed trade, where countries negotiate and regulate trade agreements to protect their own interests.