This issue of The Freeman examines how trade barriers and economic nationalism foster international tension and war, arguing that free exchange reduces conflict and supports peace. It critiques pressure-group politics and the “free rider” mentality that distort labor markets and weaken industry, while Clarence Carson explains how the welfare state misdiagnoses economic signals and substitutes coercion for voluntary exchange. Additional essays explore the cooperative virtues of the free economy, analyze the impact of robots and automation on employment, and rebut protectionist calls to restrict new technologies. A concluding review assesses Progress and Privilege, a study of environmentalism and American economic life.
