Increasing the wealth of a nation doesn't mean increasing the wealth of everyone in that nation. A nation can distribute those gains in wealth and power in a wa

Increasing the wealth of a nation doesn't mean increasing the wealth of everyone in that nation. A nation can distribute those gains in wealth and power in a way that provides no utility to many of its citizens. Trade has made nations richer. Economists were not wrong about this. What many were wrong about is the thesis that the social & market structures in developed, "stable" democracies would ensure that those gains eventually improved the utility of everyone—the proverbial "rising tide that lifts all boats." The standard claim is that markets may not immediately fix issues, but over time they will converge on an efficient distribution of resources. Yes, this is a late reply.