Here's something to delight the trade sceptics: The most recent Pew Global Attitudes survey found that, in a sample of twenty-four countries, the United States came dead last in terms of viewing trade favourably. While the US (barely) ekes out a majority of respondents who view trade as either very or somewhat good, this position is certainly tenuous. There's nothing much to add to the bullet point provided by Pew on this matter: "Support for international trade continues to decline in the United States - 53% of Americans say trade is good for their country, down from 59% last year and 78% in 2002. Support for trade is lower in the U.S. than in any other country included in the survey." So let me get this straight: US GDP in Q1 2008 would have been nearly nothing had it not been for the contributions of net exports, yet America is the least trade-friendly country in this sample? Given current trends, it's certainly plausible that the trade sceptics already outnumber the pro-trade set. Just in time for the 2008 elections, too--it will be very interesting to see how this sort of sentiment will manifest itself come election time. The world awaits what the US has in store for it.
Pew: US is the Least Sanguine Country on Trade
Here's something to delight the trade sceptics: The most recent Pew Global Attitudes survey found that, in a sample of twenty-four countries, the United States came dead last in terms of viewing trade favourably. While the US (barely) ekes out a majority of respondents who view trade as either very or somewhat good, this position is certainly tenuous. There's nothing much to add to the bullet point provided by Pew on this matter: "Support for international trade continues to decline in the United States - 53% of Americans say trade is good for their country, down from 59% last year and 78% in 2002. Support for trade is lower in the U.S. than in any other country included in the survey." So let me get this straight: US GDP in Q1 2008 would have been nearly nothing had it not been for the contributions of net exports, yet America is the least trade-friendly country in this sample? Given current trends, it's certainly plausible that the trade sceptics already outnumber the pro-trade set. Just in time for the 2008 elections, too--it will be very interesting to see how this sort of sentiment will manifest itself come election time. The world awaits what the US has in store for it.
