Trade / Monopolies

A note from a Southern California LPSF discuss member:

Yes, every nation would be better off with free trade.
Less developed nations have the most to gain with free trade as their less expensive labor
allows them to be price competitive with more developed countries.

In practice, poorer nations become richer.
Case in point, the USA.
Modern Examples are East Europe, Central and South America.
No, the more free an economy, the more successful.

As far as Japan is concerned, the opposite is true as what Celine postulates.
In fact, the era of success for Japan was marked by very low taxes and regulation.

The current Japanese economic malaise, marked by the longest recession the world has ever seen
and the only independent major market crash in the history of the world was caused by the government.

Remember, Libertarians are driven by two things: Principle and Practice.

Free trade falls well within both categories.
Principle says that the individual owns himself and his resources, therefore Free Trade is Libertarian.
Practice shows that in every instance people are better off, with very few exceptions under free trade.

Bruce Cohen
LPCa Board of Directors
LPCa Awards Chair