Iris Han

Ixba
1A
03/26/11
“Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to

cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces the area over which

political power is exercised. The combination of economic and political power in the same hands

is a sure recipe for tyranny.”

Because I agree with Milton Friedman, the 1976 Noble Prize winner in Economics, I stand

affirm today’s resolution which states: Free trade should be valued over protectionism.

To clarify the resolution, I offer the following definitions:

 Free trade is trade based on the unrestricted international exchange of goods with tariffs

used only as a source of revenue, defined by Merriam-Webster.

 Protectionism is the theory, practice, or system of fostering or developing domestic

industries by protecting them from foreign competition through duties or quotas imposed

on importations, as defined by the Random House Dictionary.

The value I will uphold is societal good, which is taking action for the good or advancement of a

society as a whole. One of our government’s goals is to take actions that will benefit our nation

as a whole, both long term and short term. And, before making decisions, it is important to

consider how the actions will affect us, not only economically, politically, internationally, but

other factors should also be taken into account, including our freedoms, rights, and safety.

Considering all these aspects before decisions are made, leads to a successful –and happy,

society.
Iris Han
Ixba
1A
03/26/11
My criterion is Utilitarianism. Our Declaration of Independence states every person in this nation

possess unalienable rights, and the pursuit of happiness, being one of them. A happy society

leads to better productivity, communication, and even health, than an unhappy one.

Contention One: Free trade improves economies.

Subpoint A: Free trade increases jobs.

Source: Griswold, Daniel (April 27, 2010). A free-market '5-year plan' to boost U.S.

exports. The Washington Times (Washington, DC). , p.A05.

“On April 15, the U.S. Commerce Department provided intellectual ammunition with a white

paper titled, "Exports Support American Jobs." The paper concluded that in 2008 exports

supported 10.3 million jobs in the United States, including more than one out of every four

manufacturing jobs. The paper touts exports as one way to bring down the high unemployment

rate.

Promoting exports is one trade-policy goal that can win bipartisan support in Washington.

Everybody loves exports, and with good reason. Selling abroad helps U.S. companies ramp up

production, lower per-unit costs, and reach new and growing markets. But the Obama

administration's goal of doubling exports by 2015 will be difficult to achieve and faces a few

hurdles of the administration's own making.”

Iris Han
Ixba
1A
03/26/11
As we can see, allowing free trade will help our unemployment rate from going down by

providing millions of people with jobs, therefore keeping this great number of people happy. A

stable economy leads to a generally happier society.

Subpoint B: Protectionism lowers wages and increases monopolies.

Source: Martin, T L (Dec 2001). Protection or free trade: An analysis of the ideas of Henry

George on international commerce and wages. (International Trade). The American Journal of

Economics and Sociology. , 60, 5. p.121

Henry George worked to encourage such discussion. To that end, Protection or Free Trade was

published in 1886. (2) With his book and his articles, George wanted to convince labor that his

free trade philosophy was consistent with his previously held positions. George offered practical

and philosophical arguments against the tariff in what Lissner (1980:xi) calls a "weapon worth

an armory full." The actual tendency of the protective tariff, argued George (PFT:225), was "to

lessen aggregate wealth, and to foster monopolies at the expense of the masses of the people."

This was, of course, the message of Adam Smith and many of his followers. During this critical

period, Henry George spoke out often and emphatically for free trade, although he was not a free

trader from the beginning. As he explained,

“I was educated a protectionist and continued to believe in protection until I came to think for

myself and examine the question.” (George, TS, 9/29/1888, IV, 13:1).
Iris Han
Ixba
1A
03/26/11
Contention Two: Free trade helps all of society.

Subpoint A:

Source: Krol, Robert [September 16, 2008] Trade, Protectionism, and the U.S. Economy:

Examining the Evidence. Trade Briefing Paper. Center For Trade Policy Studies

Competition from trade delivers lower prices and more product variety to consumers. Americans

are $300 billion better off today than they would be otherwise because of the greater product

variety from imports.

It is obvious that free trade meets the criterion of societal good and so upholds social choice by

providing the best alternative which benefits all members of the society. Since free trade

upholds social choice best, I see nothing but the Affirmative vote in this debate.

For these reasons, I ask you to affirm today’s resolution. I now stand open for cross-examination.