Cato Institute They recently released a new poll and report. Here’s a detailed look at public opinion on trade. The headline numbers are very encouraging: 63% of Americans want to trade more with other countries. There are details to debate, but they’re encouraging because Americans generally aren’t as protectionist as their politicians, and they don’t signal, at least in the public’s mind, a broader shift away from the trade liberalism that has characterized the post-World War II era.
What’s interesting about these numbers is that they come despite Americans being skeptical of trade’s impact on jobs and wages. The poll found that about 39% of respondents were concerned that trade reduces the number of jobs, 37% were concerned that trade reduces the quality of jobs, and 39% thought that trade lowers wages. In fact, 80% were concerned that trade has hurt American industry. Despite these concerns, Americans reject trade. Protectionism: Between two-thirds and four-fifths of Americans would reject tariffs if they increased prices even slightly (this question is asked multiple times and in different ways, so the range is broad). Nearly half of Americans (48%) would reject tariffs lobbied for by businesses or trade groups.
There’s a lot more interesting information in the report, but these instances of skepticism are a source of great advancement for the classical liberal movement. Education seems to be a way to reduce skepticism about trade and garner broader support. Of course, education can be formal (indeed, one of the graphs in the report shows that support for trade is highly correlated with formal educational attainment), but with the proliferation of blogs, YouTube, and other low-cost media, education can also include informal sources.
This is why I write. Blog posts, op-eds, podcasts, and more are important ways to communicate information and overcome skepticism in the 21st century. Misconceptions can be very hard to correct, especially when it comes to trade. Comparative advantage It’s very difficult to understand and explain, but Americans seem to have good instincts about trade, and I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor for me as a scholar to help Americans understand those instincts.
PS: One might argue: if trade is so popular, why is protectionism a policy of both major parties? The report answers that question, too. Only 1% of respondents said that trade and globalization were in their “top three” political issues. It’s typical for both Democrats and Republicans to embrace protectionism. Public Choice Result: politically unpopular, but important to a minority of groups. Politicians can adopt this position to gain votes from special interests that strongly support such aid, and greatly reduce the risk of losing votes. inflationjobs, immigration — these all play big roles for voters. Helping voters understand the connection between trade and these issues also helps counter protectionist movements.
John Murphy is an assistant professor of economics at Nicholls State University.
