Globalization

Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions. Such trade allows specialization in member states of free trade areas, and lowers costs. Within a free trade area there are no barriers, such as tariffs and quotas. These would seem as beneficial to us. But there are still some people who are against having free trade, and economic globalization. Why is this so?

• Free trade claims that it would create jobs and raise incomes, in reality, many jobs were instead lost.
o For example, in the North American Free Trade Agreement, there was a lost of 879, 280 jobs in the U.S.

• Free trade affects the environment.
o The pollution from the export of goods as well as the resource used throughout the life cycles of products, are all ways in which free trade can damage the environment.

• The plight of the developing world
o Developing nations do not enjoy similar benefits of free trade as the larger nations do. The relatively new industries of developing countries would struggle against international competition.

Are we actually paying for free trade, without knowing it? What are the costs of economic globalization? Think about it.

Bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=255
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/briefingpapers_bp147
http://twohandsworldshop.com/blog/tag/free-trade/
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0108-10.htm
http://www.economicshelp.org/2007/06/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-wto.html