Discuss reasons why we see trade restrictions. Are any of these reasons valid?

What will be an ideal response?

There are several reasons advanced to restrict trade. These include: the infant-industry argument (that the nation should protect a young industry that will reap learning-by-doing gains in productivity and eventually be able to compete successfully in the world market); dumping (the nation should protect an industry from foreign competitors who sell goods below cost); protection saves jobs (the claim that imports cost U.S. jobs); cheap foreign labor (the assertion that tariffs are necessary to compete with cheap foreign labor); lax environmental standards (the claim that protection is needed to compete against nations with weak environmental standards); and, rich nations exploit developing countries (the suggestion that protection prevents developed nations from forcing people in poor nations to work for slave wages). Economists reject all of these claims as valid reasons for protection.