Trade between equal-ish partners is fine and should be free and unencumbered except for a few things where you want to make sure you're also self-sufficient (li

Trade between equal-ish partners is fine and should be free and unencumbered except for a few things where you want to make sure you're also self-sufficient (like defense and ensuring your local food production can cover your population) Trade between unequal partners (or whatever you want to call companies offshoring manufacturing) needs friction. Some amount is good to equalize global economies, too much makes your local poor suffer for the benefits of your local wealthy. It is especially bad when offshored labor is being done to avoid local environmental restrictions, worker protections, etc. i.e. manufacturing which is only cheap by being irresponsible to your workers and the world.