Paul Bairoch deflates twenty commonly held myths about economic history. Among these myths are that free trade and population growth have historically led to periods of economic growth, and that colonial powers in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries became rich through …
The impact of protectionism is a contentious policy issue. This book evaluates the effects of protectionism on the British inter-war economy and argues that trade policies should be constructed in the context of prevailing economic conditions, not solely with reference to theore…
"Running water. Electricity. Antibiotics. Dentistry. Air conditioning. Democracy. The rule of law. Such things are not only remarkably new inventions in human history, they are all alien to humanity's natural habitat. Here is what is natural: poverty, hunger, violence, tribal ha…
Revenue. The struggle for Independence, 1763-1789 ; Trade policy for the new nation, 1789-1816 ; Sectional conflict and crisis, 1816-1833 ; Tariff peace and Civil War, 1833-1865 -- Restriction. The failure of tariff reform, 1865-1890 ; Protectionism entrenched, 1890-1912 ; Polic…
"Growing international trade has helped lift living standards around the world, and yet free trade is always under attack. Critics complain that trade forces painful economic adjustments, such as plant closings and layoffs of workers, and charge that the World Trade Organization…
Objection: Americans cannot compete against low-cost foreign producers -- Essay 1: comparative advantage and supply chains -- Objection: free trade harms the United States -- Essay 2: imports are not a deduction from GDP -- Objection: the trade deficit is bad -- Essay 3: the bal…
"Putting tariffs on imported goods or setting other barriers to international trade can be tempting for politicians. They assume that many of their constituents believe that free trade is not fair trade and that other countries aren't playing by the rules. This belief makes it e…