Thanks for clarifying. I agree that the protectionist policies might have had some benefits for workers. However, they were primarily to the benefit of the lan

Thanks for clarifying. I agree that the protectionist policies might have had some benefits for workers. However, they were primarily to the benefit of the landed gentry, and then industrial capitalists. Free trade reflects our switch to finance capitalism. Marx made a similar point to yours: the interests of the industrial capitalists are more aligned with the workers than the finance capitalists, yet the industrial capitalists will choose finance over the workers.