Moral Maze Is free trade a moral good?
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Apr 10, 2025 Guest
Anne McElvoy
Guest
Ash Sarkar
Guest
James Orr
Guest
Mariana Mazzucato
Guest
Hamish McRae
Guest
Maxwell Marlow
Guest
Dieter Helm
Anne McElvoy, an executive editor at Politico, joins a panel that includes Ash Sarkar, a journalist from Navara Media, and Mariana Mazzucato, an economist from UCL. They dive into the moral implications of free trade amidst global economic tensions. Topics include the ethical dilemmas of tariffs set by Trump, the adverse impact on American workers, and wealth inequality. The discussion highlights the chasm between economic metrics and everyday realities, questioning how trade policies can be both a source of poverty alleviation and a mechanism of exploitation.
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Shifting Political Alliances on Trade
- It's now difficult to predict trade policy positions based on traditional political alignments.
- The right-wing US administration advocates trade policies historically championed by the radical left.
Tariffs: A Power Play, Not Economic Strategy
- Trump's tariffs are driven by power, not economic principles, and will likely hurt American workers.
- Tariffs are only justifiable when supporting developing industries, not dismantling existing industrial strategies.
Government's Role in Shaping the Economy
- Governments should have a clear economic agenda.
- They can shape market tools and institutions rather than being strictly bound by them.
