Free Trade

[Spasiba]

Is it a good thing or a bad thing? My understanding is, with the way capitalism works, it is a bad thing, as it is just an excuse for exploitation, but what about under communism/anarhcism/etc? I know generally it seems we support some degree of self-suffeciency, but trade will still be good and necessary, but to what extent? Would we still consider trade (assuming the world were not capitalist) to be free trade? How would it compare and contrast to what we see today? The world being connected is of course a good thing, but how far does it go today, what goes wrong with it, and how can we make it better?

[Dean]

Is it a good thing or a bad thing? My understanding is, with the way capitalism works, it is a bad thing, as it is just an excuse for exploitation, but what about under communism/anarhcism/etc? I know generally it seems we support some degree of self-suffeciency, but trade will still be good and necessary, but to what extent? Would we still consider trade (assuming the world were not capitalist) to be free trade? How would it compare and contrast to what we see today? The world being connected is of course a good thing, but how far does it go today, what goes wrong with it, and how can we make it better?

Under capitalism, free trade means freedom for those with capital to trade it.
Under socialism, free trade means freedom to control and use the product of your labor.

"Free trade" is a loaded term. Of course, in an anarchist society, trade would be free. But freedom in a capitalist society means freedom for the upper classes, not freedom in any real, egalitarian sense. "Free trade" can be compared to "free politics." It sounds good, but if you have "free politics" in an overbearing, inequal society, it can free people to do terrible things.

[victim77]

Under capitalism, free trade means freedom for those with capital to trade it.
Under socialism, free trade means freedom to control and use the product of your labor.

"Free trade" is a loaded term. Of course, in an anarchist society, trade would be free. But freedom in a capitalist society means freedom for the upper classes, not freedom in any real, egalitarian sense. "Free trade" can be compared to "free politics." It sounds good, but if you have "free politics" in an overbearing, inequal society, it can free people to do terrible things.

In my opinion free trade and Anarchism do not fit at all. The goal of anarchism (in my opinion) is to eliminate exploitation. If a free trade anarchist society were to come about it would actualy amplify the exploitation because companys would not have gouvernment regulation to follow and have the ability to do unhumain things for they're own profit and get away with it.

[Dean]

In my opinion free trade and Anarchism do not fit at all. The goal of anarchism (in my opinion) is to eliminate exploitation. If a free trade anarchist society were to come about it would actualy amplify the exploitation because companys would not have gouvernment regulation to follow and have the ability to do unhumain things for they're own profit and get away with it.

Free trade doesn't necessarily imply a centralized corporate or otherwise private enterprise system. Free trade, in an anarchist society, simply means that people have the right to control their labor - something which capitalist free trade doesn't allow.