Free Trade under Fire

Rating:
Summary: Necessity to arguing
Review: Doesnt it always seem that your friends subscribe to the wrong views, and you to the right one? Well, at least for me it is. Whether your pals are from the anarchist wing or the Pat Buchanan camp, or even deviate just a little from your (correct) free trade stance, you should read this book. And even if you believe in the unholy stance of skepticism of free trade , you should read it too, for "The Economist" said that if this book doesnt convince anti-free traders, nothing will; so go ahead and test your faithfulness.

I am not an economist, and I hate reading economics text books filled with useless jargon. Before reading some great books, economics was as complicated as chemistry, physics or calculas to me. But after reading a few books, "Lexus and the Olive Tree", "Mystery of Capital" and "Peddling Prosperty", I realized that it isn't that complicated, its just the economists who create this aura of an esoteric subject.

This book is written in simple language, but when it does use phrases that regular people don't understand, he does something rare - he explains their meaning.

This is an excellent book, but only after reading The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Tom Friedman's book is the main weapon in my debating arsenal, and "Free Trade Under Fire" book gives me a large cache of ammunition, as do Peddling Prospery (or anything else by Paul Krugman like Pop Internationalism, another MUST read), and Henrando de Soto's masterpiece "The Mystery of Capital"(dont even look at his "Other Path", it is simplified and better argued in this "Mystery").

Highly Recommended

Rating:
Summary: Necessity to arguing
Review: Doesnt it always seem that your friends subscribe to the wrong views, and you to the right one? Well, at least for me it is. Whether your pals are from the anarchist wing or the Pat Buchanan camp, or even deviate just a little from your (correct) free trade stance, you should read this book. And even if you believe in the unholy stance of skepticism of free trade , you should read it too, for "The Economist" said that if this book doesnt convince anti-free traders, nothing will; so go ahead and test your faithfulness.

I am not an economist, and I hate reading economics text books filled with useless jargon. Before reading some great books, economics was as complicated as chemistry, physics or calculas to me. But after reading a few books, "Lexus and the Olive Tree", "Mystery of Capital" and "Peddling Prosperty", I realized that it isn't that complicated, its just the economists who create this aura of an esoteric subject.

This book is written in simple language, but when it does use phrases that regular people don't understand, he does something rare - he explains their meaning.

This is an excellent book, but only after reading The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Tom Friedman's book is the main weapon in my debating arsenal, and "Free Trade Under Fire" book gives me a large cache of ammunition, as do Peddling Prospery (or anything else by Paul Krugman like Pop Internationalism, another MUST read), and Henrando de Soto's masterpiece "The Mystery of Capital"(dont even look at his "Other Path", it is simplified and better argued in this "Mystery").

Highly Recommended

Rating:
Summary: Reading This Book Will Make You Smarter
Review: I have had the honor of having the author of this book as a professor in college. Not surprisingly he teaches classes dealing with international trade. All I can say is that he is an economist of the highest order and that he is capable of taking some extrodinarily difficult concepts and explaining them with a level of clarity that make them seem obvious. He takes this teaching approach to his book, making it both intelligent and approachable. If you ever actually wanted to know anything about international trade and even be able to discuss in a relevant manner the points at hand, read this book. You will be smarter for having done so.

Rating:
Summary: Full of ahistorical assertions and disingenuous arguments
Review: In this book the author argues for the "economic benefits of trade, not just for corporations but for people and the environment. He illustrates how protectionist policies damage the economy and fail to save jobs. Examining U.S. trade policy, he shows how "fair trade" measures are arbitrary, unfair, and often harmful"

Yet this author makes slight of America's long history of protectionist policies when it served its interest. In fact the history of America's industrial development was protecting her rising industries. So now that Americas industries are strong and known world wide; its labor force is a problem because it wants decent wages and health benefits. What is the solution? Free trade! Or free trade in cheap labor and dealing with counties that have no labor unions, no regulations that get in the way of business and officials that are easy to bribe.
This book is for those who have no critical facilities what so ever.

Rating:
Summary: Full of ahistorical assertions and disingenuous arguments
Review: In this book the author argues for the "economic benefits of trade, not just for corporations but for people and the environment. He illustrates how protectionist policies damage the economy and fail to save jobs. Examining U.S. trade policy, he shows how "fair trade" measures are arbitrary, unfair, and often harmful"

Yet this author makes slight of America's long history of protectionist policies when it served its interest. In fact the history of America's industrial development was protecting her rising industries. So now that Americas industries are strong and known world wide; its labor force is a problem because it wants decent wages and health benefits. What is the solution? Free trade! Or free trade in cheap labor and dealing with counties that have no labor unions, no regulations that get in the way of business and officials that are easy to bribe.
This book is for those who have no critical facilities what so ever.

Rating:
Summary: The case for free trade
Review: Irwin's book, together with Bhagwati's Free Trade today,
makes a strong case for free trade. The argument is clear and
the book is easy to read and full of evidence supporting
free trade. Among other topics, the author discusses
the harmful effects of protection on developing/
developed economies, trade and the environment
and the role of WTO. Irwin's book is non-technical
and more historical than Bhagwati's. The latter
is more theoretical, at least in some parts, but also
a great read. For arguments against free trade using
economic theory see "trade warriors" by Marc Busch or " global Trade and Conflicting National Interests"
by Ralph E. Gomory, William J. Baumol