The benefits of "free trade" are rather simple: there is no better choice. Since the 13th century, if not earlier "country capitalists" have traveled the world in search of free trade opportunities, and economic power has, time and time again, gone hand in hand with political power. Nations like India and China have been targets of "free trade" for centuries, often at the benefit of the European power. For example, India's Mughal Empire (pre-colonial) in 1600 had revenue of 17.5 million pounds, versus Britain's 1800 revenue of 16 million pounds. With India as a colony in 1800, this goes to show you how freely "free trade" can benefit or hurt an economy within a short period of time.

The above statement may lead some Americans to contend that free trade is a bad thing: after all, why should America risk the option of losing its riches to up and coming powers like India and China? The answer is, that America has no choice. When India went from economic power in 1600 to a British colony in 1800, it wasn't by choice. Likewise, China's dependency on European nations during the 19th and early 20th century wasn't an option as well. The rule of the global economy is to "compete, or be overtaken". Today, the risk for America isn't to become a colony of China or India, but rather to be weakened economically, and to lose our way of life, at the expense of our middle class. After all, economics is simply a battle of the middle classes.

It is a natural reaction for any nation losing world economic power to question the viability of "free trade". Whether through less dramatic means such as tariffs and protectionism, or severe means such as socialism or communism, such methods have been proven inefficient in an increasingly in touch global economy. Ask citizens of Communist China or Russia whether they wish to return to a closed society of communism. Ask citizens of India whether they wish state sponsored socialism as well. All across the world, citizens are challenging the merits of "free trade", and left with one simple answer: "it's not perfect, or perhaps even a good option, but it's the best option available". Any of the WTO protesters should be forced to read about Mao's "Great Leap Forward", find out why the Soviets lost the Cold War, or wonder why France's unemployment rates are so high.

An even more simple response to the question of the "benefits of free trade" is to ask someone opposed to "free trade" to provide a better example that has existed in the future that can a) sustain middle class growth b) allow the nation's economy to grow within an increasingly global economy. Unfortunately, it is also well-proven that "free trade" leads to greater wealth disparities between the poor and the middle class and wealthy, but this is due to a greater velocity of growth for the middle class and wealthy than it is a "falling backwards" for the poor. While a "socialist haven" like Cuba has less disparity than America, it is due to not having a middle class, and yes, it still having an upper, or ruling class. "Free trade" is pulling millions of Indians and Chinese from out of poverty into middle class; America must be willing to compete in order to not lose the velocity of its own middle class.

There is nothing better for the promotion of the middle class in the history of the world than is the function of "free trade". America has been the economic superpower for the past sixty plus years as a result. If America abandons, or even minimizes the importance of "free trade", it will be at the expense of its middle, not upper class. Should America be willing to take this risk as a result of policy makers who don't clearly understand the history of capitalism?

Learn more about this author, Jack Buffington.
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