>Amongst economists, a belief in free trade is totemic. But, while trade makes countries better off, it does not raise all boats… the benefits from trade are un

>Amongst economists, a belief in free trade is totemic. But, while trade makes countries better off, it does not raise all boats… the benefits from trade are unequally spread across individuals and time. If I understand correctly, this is what taxes are supposed to fix. Free trade generates wealth, taxes ensure that the wealth is somewhat distributed. > We shouldn’t try and protect jobs; we should protect workers. ... and use the taxes to retrain, provide a safety net, etc. From TFA: >We have to look for inspiration from northern European countries who have comprehensive retraining, help with housing, help with relocation. Typically they have the unions, governments, and companies working together to try and keep the social cohesion. It doesn’t always work, but at least they try and most people feel that the government is helping them.