{"id":1178,"date":"2016-11-28T11:38:58","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T17:38:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/?p=1178"},"modified":"2016-11-28T11:38:58","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T17:38:58","slug":"who-are-fair-trade-deals-good-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/2016\/11\/28\/who-are-fair-trade-deals-good-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Are Fair Trade Deals Good For?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Randal Sheppard, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The political consensus around free trade has taken a dramatic turn over the past year, with both Republicans and Democrats claiming to be critics after decades of largely agreeing on a pro-free trade agenda. The North American Free Trade Agreement<\/a> (NAFTA) passed with bipartisan support in the 1990s, but now Donald Trump attacks it as the \u201cworst deal in history.\u201d Trump’s critique of free trade as costing jobs and benefiting other countries contributed to his support among working class voters as his message tapped into dissatisfaction and economic dislocation. But to what extent have free trade agreements led to the loss of U.S. jobs and boosted the national economies of countries like Mexico or China? And how have these agreements impacted workers in the U.S. and corporate profits?<\/span><\/p>\n

NAFTA was not a deal driven by the interests of Mexican companies and workers, but supported by U.S. investors to enable the movement of capital and finance by removing barriers to investment. This accelerated the multi-decade long process of eliminating economic regulations and increasing privatization. Most of the benefits from NAFTA have gone to large corporations and U.S. based companies. Meanwhile, smaller firms and Mexican companies have experienced increased competitive pressures and dwindling profits. Research has also shown that NAFTA contributed to increased income inequality and less class mobility in Mexico. Free trade has also weakened the power of national governments and strengthened the influence of international institutions like the IMF and World Bank.<\/span><\/h5>\n