It's arguable whether that's really trade then - it's a bit more like a mugging. Well, historically large scale trade has been more like mugging. Perfect "free

It's arguable whether that's really trade then - it's a bit more like a mugging. Well, historically large scale trade has been more like mugging. Perfect "free trade" only exists in dogma/ideology. Just consider the "East India Company", how the rich cities of the american South worked, etc. Also of so-called Banana Republics, Africa colonialism and post-colonialism, etc. (Not to miss the party, USSR also had a whole array of "socialist" countries to buy their production and "trade"). Of course, there are millions of examples of political pressure to "buy our stuff", "give our companies your resources at our terms", etc. A multinational is seldom cosmopolitan -- they go where the might is. One of books I suggest is "Debt the first 5000 years" (here's a favorable review by Financial Times, no, less: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/04e44606-d9a0-11e0-b16a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1daX4Ostx http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/04e44606-d9a0-11e0-b16a-00144feabd... )