Should the West stop trading with bad actor nations?

May 17, 2019 By Cam Brown

We have been repeatedly told, especially by neo-liberal, neo-conservative, and libertarian proponents, that we need to knock down barriers to trade as we seek as much free trade as possible with all players. Part of why this is said is because it will help existing authoritarian, totalitarian, and corrupt nations transition toward greater liberty and better treatment of their people, as well as reduce potential hostility to other nations.

We are already beginning to see the consequences of this naïve view.............

Firstly, are these nations necessarily treating their people better because of this greater degree of freer trade? Using China as an example, although for some time it appeared as if China was losing its grip on its people, allowing a greater degree of freedom, the increasing crackdown on religious freedom, as well as the recently unveiled social credit system, suggests otherwise. If freer trade was supposed to improve upon such things, why is it not happening now?............

 In addition, they have used their newly found economic prowess to become the most aggressive economic colonizer in the world, especially (though not exclusively) in Africa, and have been often cited as a bad actor in relation to economic espionage............. Read more