Chapter 5 > The Global Economy > Conditional Support for Free Trade

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Conditional Support for Free Trade

Many public opinion surveys, including the Chicago Council’s, have long sought to determine whether more Americans favor free international trade or protectionism. However, the 2002 Chicago Council/German Marshall Fund survey reveals that most Americans do not fall neatly into one or the other of these categories. While Americans support the general idea of free trade, majorities favor placing conditions on that trade for the protection of workers and the environment.

The impact of trade upon American workers is, again, paramount. When given arguments for and against the use of tariffs and restrictions on imported goods—to protect certain manufacturing jobs from less expensive imports versus reducing the cost of goods for everyone—only 38% of Americans say they sympathize more with those who want to eliminate tariffs, while 50% say they sympathize more with those who think such tariffs are necessary. Clearly, concern about jobs trumps the attractiveness of lower prices.

But this does not mean that most Americans altogether oppose free trade, because when concerns about Americans workers are addressed, opposition to free trade all but dissipates. When offered three options about trade—free trade without government programs to help workers who lose their jobs, free trade with government programs to help workers who lose their jobs, and no free trade at all, 73% choose free trade with government programs to help workers, with only 9% saying they do not favor free trade at all.Only 16% choose the pure free market option, with no government programs to help workers (see Figure 5-7).

This conditional support for free trade seems to be gaining ground. Compared to 1999 when PIPA asked the same question, the percentage against free trade is down by 5 points and the percentage supporting it on the condition of helping workers is up 7 points.

Americans also favor other conditions on international trade, including provisions for labor standards in other countries and the environment. An extraordinarily high 93% say that countries that are part of international trade agreements should be required to maintain minimum standards for working conditions. According to the 1999 PIPA survey, this high level of support for labor standards remains unchanged even after respondents are given a series of strongly stated pro and con arguments on the issue.

On the environment, a near unanimous 94% say that countries that are part of international trade agreements should be required to maintain minimum standards for protection of the environment.

In a show of fairness, Americans do not seem to be concerned about certain conditions that other countries may place on trade with the United States. On the issue of U.S. genetically modified food exports, a solid 66% of Americans say the EU and Japan should be able to require labeling of such food even if this might keep consumers from purchasing it. Only 26% say the EU and Japan should not be able to do this. On the general issue of using biotechnology in agriculture and food production, Americans are divided, with 48% supporting its use (14% strongly and 34% moderately) and 45% opposing it (25% strongly and 20 moderately).