A recent Pew Global Attitudes poll found some favorable views of trade in the world.  But not in the developed world... Europe and the U.S. for example.  Trade policy conducted in a stupid way will have that effect.

In countries like Argentina, which recently experienced trade-based growth, the attitude toward trade has become more positive.

The fundamental principle missed is this.  If trade is balanced, it is good.  People like it.  There are benefits.  If you have trade deficits, the loss of jobs and economic security produces low public opinion ratings. 

Reality just keeps coming back to pop the bubble of the theorists.  Cognitive dissonance sets in and the free trade pushers get very agitated and angry.  Trade deficits cause massive job losses.  Trade surpluses produce job gains.  Not a big secret.

Here is a list of countries's trade surpluses with the U.S.  I would bet a donut that there is a correlation between poll results and balance of trade among the countries. 

We can continue to have the 8th grade debate about whether trade is good or bad, and continue obscuring the point.  But the issue is how you conduct trade and regulate it, not whether you do it.

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