I love the way that you think about and explain these concepts, both the economic components of globalization and the political components of it. I would say consciously try to put yourself in multiple different positions, consciously try to think what would the world look like if I was a manufacturing worker in one of these towns? You could have a heart to heart with your legal fraternity, with your colleagues in US government; they don't seem particularly good at all at seeing and balancing all these different perspectives.
It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According to the legal scholar Anthea Roberts, it depends which story you believe.