
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Edward Stourton examines America's long history of resistance to free trade, and asks why it has again become such a potent political force. Donald Trump's most consistent policy has been opposition to free trade agreements which he sees as unfair, particularly with China. On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders has been equally opposed, if for different reasons, while Hillary Clinton has had to tack away from her previous support for free trade pacts. Edward looks back to debates from the 19th century to the 1990s to shed new light on these forces. And he asks whether the protectionist impulse is a natural reaction to globalisation's wrenching changes.
 By BBC Radio 4
By BBC Radio 44.6
195195 ratings
Edward Stourton examines America's long history of resistance to free trade, and asks why it has again become such a potent political force. Donald Trump's most consistent policy has been opposition to free trade agreements which he sees as unfair, particularly with China. On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders has been equally opposed, if for different reasons, while Hillary Clinton has had to tack away from her previous support for free trade pacts. Edward looks back to debates from the 19th century to the 1990s to shed new light on these forces. And he asks whether the protectionist impulse is a natural reaction to globalisation's wrenching changes.

7,682 Listeners

367 Listeners

891 Listeners

787 Listeners

1,045 Listeners

5,432 Listeners

1,786 Listeners

955 Listeners

1,784 Listeners

1,087 Listeners

1,915 Listeners

425 Listeners

412 Listeners

298 Listeners

67 Listeners

737 Listeners

243 Listeners

72 Listeners

655 Listeners

4,178 Listeners

3,192 Listeners

729 Listeners

73 Listeners