> if you google, for example, "china outsourcing effect on middle class", it's easy to find research supporting the conclusion If your topic is broad enough, y

> if you google, for example, "china outsourcing effect on middle class", it's easy to find research supporting the conclusion If your topic is broad enough, you can abuse napkin math any way you want to reach any sort of conclusion. Virtually all instances of protectionism has caused the industry being protected to stagnate. We saw this with automobiles, and we're seeing this with Boeing. If Intel weren't facing competition from TSMC and Samsung, they would happily milk their 14mm process for who knows how long. The only time when protectionism is a unequivocally a good thing is with services with no obvious societal benefit. I don't think China loses out from not having Instagram or Facebook. Even if their domestic alternatives are worse, they aren't missing out on much. Likewise, I don't think we'd lose out much if everyone was forced to use Youtube Shorts instead of TikTok.