Modern Mercantilism: A Case for Free Trade
“Global free trade helps both consumers, via lower quality-adjusted prices, and taxpayers. Walking into a Walmart to buy goods I want for dollars I earn at work does not leave me, or the nation, worse off, even if those goods originated in another country. ” ~ Stefan Bartl
READ MORE
Adam Smith v. Wesley Jones
“It is long past time Americans saw through the multiple misrepresentations that have defended the Jones Act’s nothing-for-something restrictions for over a century, including twisting Adam Smith’s logic into a false endorsement of its enormously costly restrictions.” ~ Gary M. Galles
READ MORE
The Global Market Miracle of the 99-cent Pineapple
“When past centuries’ most-iconic luxuries become commonplace and affordable, we always have specialization and market innovations to thank.” ~ Laura Williams
READ MORE
Protectionism Benefits Some at the Expense of Others
“We shouldn’t want our lawmakers to play favorites between domestic interests, and people should be more skeptical when policymakers dip into protectionist rhetoric.” ~ James M. Hohman
READ MORE
Is It An Economic Crime To Import a Soccer Jersey?
“One of the hardiest and most enduring fallacies in economics is the mercantilist fallacy: buying from foreigners is bad for us because we should ‘keep the money here;’ selling to foreigners is good for us because we can pile up more money.” ~ Art Carden
READ MORE
An Open Letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
“We can hope that, should Parliament today agree to a unilateral lowering of Britain’s trade barriers, other governments would today, as other governments did in the mid-19th century, respond by unilaterally lowering theirs.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
READ MORE
Do Not Tarry In Eliminating Tariffs and Other Protectionist Measures
“Like Adam Smith, I’d prefer that trade be liberalized gradually as opposed to not at all. But perhaps unlike him, if I were put in front of a button to eliminate immediately all species of economic protectionism, I’d press it with gusto.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
READ MORE
The Amazing Cargo Ship
“Like the trade that’s carried out using cargo ships, all trade – from the simplest to the most complex – works wonders. Trade allows each of us to turn our unique talents into the fruits of the talents of everyone with whom we trade.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
READ MORE
NatCons, the American System, and the Founders
“Madison and Jefferson were both still alive when Henry Clay outlined his American System platform in 1824. Contrary to the NatCon claims, neither founding father approved of Clay’s proposals. In fact, both condemned it as a constitutional overreach by the federal government.” ~ Phillip W. Magness
READ MORE
Two Ways Trade Creates Wealth
“You’ve heard the aphorism ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.’ Trade turns trash into treasure by getting it out of one set of hands and into another.” ~ Art Carden
READ MORE
Biden’s “Buy American” Scheme a Bad Deal for America
“Paying more to produce goods domestically that could be acquired cheaper from elsewhere, wastes resources, kills jobs in other industries, and makes us poorer as a result.” ~ Brian Balfour
READ MORE
Choosing to Remain in the Global Market Economy
“People who have actually experienced the ‘security’ that comes from insulation from market forces understand that the price they pay for this ‘security’ is far too high.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
READ MORE
