Free trade is beneficial for the masses.  Restricted trade does benefit a few at the expense of the many.  An argument is peddled about fairness so a politician can win a popularity contest.  That same argument is repeated by those who will benefit.  It’s irrelevant who will push this nonsense first.  Wanting trade barriers is absurd as the candlemakers wanting to block out the sun because the sun is dumping light.

I’m not picking on the sock industry.  A company on the other side of the world can produce socks more cheaply.  On top of that, the government is subsidizing the sock industry.  The sock makers will now say it’s unfair and they’re dumping cheap socks on the market.  The sock makers must be protected from low wages and dumping.  That is the argument put forth by every industry.  This won’t withstand thought.

The sock industry wants protection.  However, there are wage differences between locations within a country.  So, if we need protection between countries, we need protection between regions.  Then, we need protection between individuals.  There is no stopping point.  We would be in isolation.  If it’s not fair between countries, it’s not fair between regions and individuals.  It’s clear that international protection is destructive.

Ok, viewed from that way, we don’t need interlocal protection, but what about dumping?  A foreign country is subsidizing socks, and they’re half price from what we would typically pay.  Yes, that will harm the sock makers temporarily, but everyone else will have more money.  The additional money can be saved, invested, or consumed.  The masses will have a higher standard of living.  A foreign country is subsidizing another.

Trade barriers lead to illegal immigration.  They’ll come to where they can sell goods.  It’s nonsense that trade barriers are beneficial.  They’re beneficial for a few.  Small states will be forced to have low or no trade barriers.  People will leave if they can’t make a living.  That is exactly what we see on a large scale.  It’s not one firm or industry.  You pay more for nearly everything.  You live at a much lower standard of living as a result.

Reference

Hans-Hermann Hoppe; Democracy—The God That Failed