Free Trade Must Be Free

A divided country can not remain so. In 1820, the United States was divided between Slave and Free States. Two warring philosophies, one in support of slavery, and one against slavery, dominated the United States. Up until the Civil War, the slave states touted their belief in the right to own and benefit from slavery, while free states touted the right to universal human freedom from bondage. For 45 years the two sides kept up a race and existed together in the United States. But that would end after the civil war, and today people in the United States universally acknowledge the barbarity of slavery.

Today our country is divided again in a similar way, between those who believe in modern forms of communism, and deny the rights of individuals to freely engage in productive commerce in favor of government determination of their livelihood, and those who believe that individuals should be free to choose what and how they produce. However, while the Left passionately extols the virtues of modern communism, the Right is lacking in a clear message. That message needs to be clarified, as clear as the messages conveyed by the abolitionists: slavery is wrong. In our times: Free trade must be Free.

To counter the beliefs that people who have large numbers in their bank accounts are more evil than people who have less money; to counter that one person is not allowed to work because, according to the government, the work pays too little; to counter that those who cannot or will not work must be forcibly supported by certain people who do; to counter these positions, requires a clear message: We enjoy the fruits of other peoples labor. In turn, we provide them with goods and services, and in free and peaceful trade and specialization all people benefit. There is no virtue in possessing money, but there is no evil in it either. Money is simply a tool for trade between people.  The redistribution or forced limitation of people to not engage in trade based upon some arbitrary value by a government which is itself only an institution and incapable of personal sympathy or feelings must be stopped. Free trade must be free.