Why Arguments Against Free Trade Are Flawed

Economists conclude, under some simple assumptions, that allowing free trade in an economy improves welfare for society overall. If free trade opens up a market to imports, then consumers benefit from the low-priced imports more than producers are hurt by them. If free trade opens up a market for exports, then producers benefit from the new place to sell more than consumers are hurt by higher prices. Nonetheless, there are a number of common arguments made against the principle of free trade. Lets go through each of them in turn and discuss their validity and applicability. The Jobs Argument One of the main arguments against free trade is that, when trade introduces lower cost international competitors, it puts domestic producers out of business. While this argument isnt technically incorrect, it is short-sighted. When looking at the free trade issue more broadly, on the other hand, it becomes clear that there are two other important considerations. First, the loss of domestic jobs is coupled with reductions in prices of goods that consumers buy, and these benefits shouldnt be ignored when weighing the tradeoffs involved in protecting domestic production versus free trade. Second, free trade not only reduces jobs in some industries, but it also creates jobs in other industries. This dynamic occurs both because there are usually industries where the domestic producers end up being exporters (which increases employment) and because the increased income held by foreigners who benefited from free trade is at least partly used to buy domestic goods, which also increases employment. The National Security Argument Another common argument against free trade is that it is risky to depend on potentially hostile countries for vital goods and services. Under this argument, certain industries should be protected in the interests of national security. While this argument is also not technically incorrect, it is often applied much more broadly than it should be in order to preserve the interests of producers and special interests at the expense of consumers. The Infant-Industry Argument In some industries, pretty significant learning curves exist such that production efficiency increases rapidly as a company stays in business longer and gets better at what it is doing. In these cases, companies often lobby for temporary protection from international competition so that they can have a chance to catch up and be competitive. Theoretically, these companies should be willing to incur short-term losses if the long-term gains are substantial enough, and thus shouldnt need assistance from the government. In some cases, however, companies are liquidity constrained enough that it cant weather the short-term losses, but, in those cases, it makes more sense for governments to provide liquidity via loans than to provide trade protection. The Strategic-Protection Argument Some proponents of trade restrictions argue that the threat of  tariffs, quotas, and the like can be used as a bargaining chip in international negotiations. In reality, this is often a risky and unproductive strategy, largely because threatening to take action that is not in a nations best interest is often viewed as a non-credible threat. The Unfair-Competition Argument People often like to point out that its not fair to allow competition from other nations because other countries dont necessarily play by the same rules, have the same costs of production, and so on. These people are correct in that its not fair, but what they dont realize is that the lack of fairness actually helps them rather than hurts them. Logically, if another country is taking actions to keep its prices low, domestic consumers benefit from the existence of low-priced imports. Granted, this competition can put some domestic producers out of business, but its important to remember that consumers benefit more than producers lose in exactly the same way as when other countries are playing fair but happen to be able to produce at lower cost anyway. In summary, the typical arguments made against free trade are generally not convincing enough to outweigh the benefits of free trade except in very particular circumstances.

The Differences Between Greeks And Romans - 1225 Words

Greeks and Romans civilization achievements were put into the categories of politics, religion, and intellectualism. Religion has performed a major role in developments of societies. The main points that will be discussed in this paper are the overall benefits and consequences of religion, and the changes that were made. The beginnings of Christianity are very blurry, as far as historical fact is concerned. The tragedy of the Roman invasion resulted in the Greeks having to change there out look on religion from what they always believed in to something completley different. Before explaining the Roman invasion to the Greeks, and how religion was impacted. This shows how Roman was overall an influence to the Mediterranean world, and became the reason of why things had began to change. As mentioned previously, Rome had become the dominant state in the Mediterranean world. Roman expansion had occurred in three main stages; the uniting of the Italian peninula, which gave Rome the manpower that transformed it from a city-state into a great power; the collision with Carthage, from which Rome emerged as ruler of the western Mediterranean; and the subjugation of the Hellenistic states, which brought Romans in close contact with Greeks civilization. As Rome expanded territorially, its leaders enlarged their invasion. Instead of resticting citizenship to people having ethnic kinship, Rome assimi lated other peoples into its political community. Just as law had grown to cope with theShow MoreRelatedThe Similarities And Differences Between The Greeks And Romans Essay1406 Words   |  6 Pageswith the Greeks and Romans†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and Jefferson was correct, considering that both ancient civilizations were very much entwined with their military. 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The countries are both Mediterranean, however they had different social class structures, different mythology, and placed different values on life. Ancient Greece was vibrant in the fifthRead MoreWhat Caused The Great Schism Of 1054960 Words   |  4 Pageswith a west side and an east side. The western side was inhabited by Romans and spanned from current Portugal over to Hungary, also including the more northern countries from Ireland to Sweden. These borders were frequently changed throughout history, although their principal area was always that of the German states. This area was referred to as the Holy Roman Empire. The Eastern area, on the other hand, were inhabited by Greeks and the area was often referred t o as the Byzantium Empire. The empireRead More Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus1031 Words   |  5 PagesAeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A comparison between Virgils hero, Aeneas, and the Homeric heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, brings up the question concerning the relevance of the difference between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas. The differences in the poets concerns are explained by the fact that Virgil lived many years after Homer, giving Virgil the advantage of a more developed literary and philosophical society than Homer had at his disposal

Espionage and thrillers Essay Example For Students

Espionage and thrillers Essay Espionage and thrillers is a novel genre that contains unlimited amount of action. Espionage and thrillers emerged after WW2 and during the cold war is primarily in response to the climate of fear and suspicion that the war, and the threat of a potential nuclear holocaust, created. Furthermore, writing thrillers and espionage novels allowed them to criticize or project their views about the wars. In these novels, the modern world is portrayed as being a destructive place, as reflects the corrupt, violent and self-serving nature of human beings. One of the most prolific writers in this genre is Tom Clancy, an author who specializes in exploring the political systems and intrigues, which shape the individual. In The Hunt for Red October, Clancy makes use of the anger of his main character Ramius in order to illustrate the obsessive, destructive nature of revenge, and to transmit his message of government conspiracy through the theme of revenge. Tom Clancy s novel is very credible because the characters of The Hunt for Red October often to some extent reflect Cold War stereotypes. For example, when Jack Ryan attempts to convince the American Generals that Ramius intends to defect, they reject that assumption because the Generals have a violent attitude towards the Russians and want to sink the Red October. The generals have a seek and destroy mentality. On the Russian side, when the Russians were taken off the ship due to a fake nuclear explosion, they cheered as they thought that the Red October was fighting the Americans. When looking at these characters, we must put into consideration that Clancy is sending his views about human nature during the post cold war. Tom Clancy portrays his view on human nature though the character of Ramius. Ramius is one of the most respectful Russian captain. He has given the honor to sail all the latest top of the line subs and examine them. His quest for revenge began when his wife died due to the Russian systems. She was being hospitalized when she was injected with the wrong remedy. He wanted justice to take care of his wife s unfortunate death but he lost the lawsuit. Therefore he took justice into his own hands. As revenge, he chose to defect to America along with other political officers. Through Ramius, Clancy shows to the readers that revenge leads to self-serving, obsessive acts of the avenger. We learn their passion to defect America when Ramius and Commander Borodin were conversing about life in America. He is determined to defect, to be free, whatever the price. His quest for revenge takes over all priorities and becomes almost an obsession. Ramius self-serving acts began when he sent a letter to the Russian Embassy informing them that he intends to defect. Ramius knows that the Embassy will retaliate and destroy the Red October at any cost. This put his life along with his political officers and sailors in danger. Although he put the lives of many in danger, he had to warn his intention to defect. In addition, he put more lives in danger when he faked a nuclear explosion in the sub. When all the sailors aborted, the Americans, who weren t aware of the situation at that time, were firing at the sailors. Ramius had to come up with a plan in order to get those whose didn t want to defect out of the sub. Ramius self-serving acts result in violent, yet brutal deaths. As mentioned before, Ramius quest to defect has taken over him. Furthermore, there is nothing holding him back. He is determined to do whatever it takes to succeed. His act lead to violence and murder. One example is when Ramius is discussing the mission with a Russian Commander, who is not aware of Ramius plans. Obviously, he doesn t intend to follow the mission orders but he must find a way to change the mission. The results end with Ramius snapping the Commanders neck, who dies instantly. If he didn t kill the Commander, his chances of defecting are as slim to none. .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .postImageUrl , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:hover , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:visited , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:active { border:0!important; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:active , .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u38fba62b4800b4362d377d5a0a2d7f1b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Pitfalls Of Relativism EssayAnother situation that ends in death is when one of his officers, who remained in the sub when all the sailors were evacuated, is shot to death. This time it wasn t Ramius who killed but the result is the same. A death that could ve been prevented had Ramius not seek revenge. Clancy is showing us that revenge has a negative impact on human nature. The innocents are killed to forfill a man s desire. The destruction of human nature leads to the corruption of human existence. Ramius revenge on Russia created a counter revenge upon him. Clancy shows how revenge corrupts society through Russia actions and decisions. The cold war was a very tense period. America-Russia relations were at its all time low. During this period, both sides aimed to possess a high technology. In the hunt for red October, Clancy projected this image when Jack Ryan was speaking to a sub expert and realized that the Russians created an evolutionary sub that the Americans couldn t produce themselves. Clancy sets the tone and mood between the two nations. Keeping this information in consideration, the Russian Embassy actions to kill Ramius corrupted society. The corruption begins when the Russian Embassy sends his whole fleet to find Ramius. They are searching for Ramius for unknown reasons and are willing to sink the ship knowing that there are innocent people aboard. Furthermore, the two conversations between NSA representatives and Russian Ambassador allow us to see at what level society is corrupted. These two nations simply lie to each other in order to get what they want. In addition, the Russian Embassy lied to the Ambassador, which made him look ridiculous. The Russian Embassy is desperate in capturing Ramius and preventing the Americans of gaining possession of the Red October. The consequence of the Russian s actions is an Alfa-class Soviet sub sunk. In addition, the Americans also pulled some stunts to help Ramius defect. When the American fired on the Red October, the missile exploded before hitting the sub but they pretended that there was impact and the ship sunk. In addition, in the movie adaptation by John McTiernan, the opening scene mentions that: according to investigators, what you will see never really happened. (McTiernan) As a result to Russia s quest to sink the red October, both the NSA and the Russian Embassy lied to one another and innocent victims are killed in the process. Thrillers and espionage novels present the viewers with endless amount of actions. Most of these writers wrote their thrillers with the setting of the Cold war. It allowed them to project their views on this war. One of the most respected writers of thrillers and espionage is Tom Clancy. Through the main character, Ramius, Clancy illustrated the destructive and obsessive natures of revenge. Moreover, he illustrated the negative result it has on society. It funny that readers always see how revenge is wrong but yet, we still choose to seek revenge.

Continuities and Changes of Religions in Sub-Saharan Africa free essay sample

â€Å"Listen more often the Things Beings, Voice of Fire means, Hear the Voice of Water. Listen to the Wind Le Buisson into tears: It is the breath of the ancestors. † This excerpt comes from Senegalese Birago Diop’s poem â€Å"Souffles† which shows ancestor worship in Sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout history, Sub-Saharan Africa experienced multi-religious changes throughout 500 BCE 1750 AD, beginning with animism, polytheism, and anthropomorphic worship of a god; however they were affected by globalization in which other religions, such as Christianity and Islam, vastly changed their beliefs and practices. As far back as historians date in 500 BCE, Sub-Saharan Africa had polytheistic religions such as animism, voodoo, and ancestry worship. During this Paleolithic Era, humans were hunter-gatherers and lived in tribes, traveling from place to place. The tribes believed in a supreme being as the highest power and had a polytheistic mindset. One of the religions they believed was animism, which British anthropologist Sir Edward Burnett Taylor believed was the most primitive and essential form of religion. We will write a custom essay sample on Continuities and Changes of Religions in Sub-Saharan Africa or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It suggests that non-human entities are spiritual beings. Another example of their polytheistic views is worshipping forces of nature, as if it were a god. Polytheism continued across tribal Africa until 500 AD when monotheism, such as Christianity and Islam, traveled south from Eurasia into Africa due to trade and globalization. By 500 AD, exchanges and trade between Eurasia and Africa began, in which the merchants and trade networks spread their two dominant religions, Islam and Christianity, extensively. Muhammad started the Islamic faith when he proclaimed he was the prophet of Allah after having a spiritual realization. Since Muhammad was once a merchant, Muslims thought highly of the merchant class and held many way stations for them. As Islam grew into an empire, it highly affected Africa by creating urban centers that appealed to the scholars, which started to urbanize the tribal areas of Africa. The cities and elite were extremely interested, and they had begun to develop financial benefits from the trades. Christianity also had an interesting interaction with Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia was 80% Christian and had a fascination with Judaism in the second wave civilization. They had the most Christian land of Africa due to the isolated location on the eastern tip of Africa. During this time, hunter-gathering tribes still existed, and many of them still believed in animism and polytheism. Although, when Europeans had found the Americas, they took over and used the Natives as slaves before they died out due to diseases. Due to this immense depletion of people, the European’s obtained more slaves from the southwest coast of Africa, in which spreading the Christian religion amongst the Americas and Africa. By the 1450’s, globalization had made its biggest jump in history by connecting four continents together. Throughout 1450 to 1750 AD, Christianity and Islam took a large new role on Sub-Saharan Africa. By this time, Africa was mainly monotheistic instead of polytheistic like it was 1,000 years ago, however, polytheism continued in the uncivilized, hunter-gathering tribes. Islam affected the east coast of Africa while Christianity affected the west. Also the trade between Africa and Europe aided the spike in Christianity that you see today. The choices people made, and the locations where religions began, directly affected the parts of Sub-Saharan Africa’s religions. It started with the polytheistic views of hunter-gathers from 500 BC to 500 AD, which then flipped in 500 AD – 1750 AD to monotheistic views of Christianity and Islam. Today, there are many Christian churches and schools in Africa, and many people take mission trips to continue spreading it. Muslims are also still seen on the more eastern and northern sides of Africa, which proves history. Without these movements of trade, religion would not be the way it is today.