[DB]

You assume a static model that has only so much pie.

Wealth comes from making more pie. Not by how you divide some fixed amount of pie.

[DannyTN]

"You assume a static model that has only so much pie. Wealth comes from making more pie. Not by how you divide some fixed amount of pie."

25% UNEMPLOYMENT.

Elementary trade arguments about increasing pie don't apply when you are not at full employment.

If you want to increase pie, you do that buy employing your own people first, not by buying pie overseas when you don't have a enough jobs for your own people.

[DannyTN]

Free Trade works only when countries are equal trading partners.

An example of free trade working is this:

• Country #1 produces WidgetA at a cost of $1.00 and WidgetB at a cost of $3.00.
• Country #2 produces WidgetA at a cost of $3.00 and WidgetB at a cost of $1.00.
• By specializing in production and trading both countries enjoy more WidgetAA and more WidgetBs and at a lower cost.

An example of Free trade not working is this:

• Country #1 produces WidgetA And WidgetB.
• Country #2 produces neither, but has abundant excess labor.
• By Trading, Country #2 produces both WidgetA and WidgetB cheaper than Country #1 did.
• To make matters worse Country #2 doesn't buy any products from Country #1 with the proceeds of Widgets they sold to Country #1.
• Instead Country #2 use the proceeds to buy the manufacturing firms that manufacture other widgets in Country #1 and dismantle them and move them Country #2.
• Country #1 gets cheap widgets initially but soon has high unemployment and no money to buy widgets from country #2.