A Good Trade?

Should the welfare of someone in your state be valued above that of someone born abroad?

We'll attempt to engender a conversation around this subject by discussing the benefits and costs of trade between nations. As a proxy for this debate, we will examine the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). You can access the entire document here. To gain a quick understanding of the trade agreement please see the "preamble" and "objectives" sections.

For perspective on how NAFTA was viewed at its inception see this 1992 New York Times article. Also feel free to check out a retrospective analysis of the trade agreement from both a primarily Mexican and American viewpoint.

To conclude our presentation we'll broaden the conversation to the impact of globalization. This discussion will touch on some of the arguments explored in this 2011 Atlantic article.

There are numerous policy issues inherent in a debate on trade. For the purposes of this presentation please attempt to sideline -- as much as possible -- overarching concerns related to environmental and/or labor policy. Instead focus on a more direct moral question: Why would a job in America matter more than a job in Mexico?

Enjoy,

Richard Auxier, Alex Chafitz, Brian Lynch and Nina Rosenberg