Zócalo Public Square

The United States is moving toward more protectionist policies—abandoning a system of free trade that America itself had built. Nationalists in the White House and labor unions are embracing tariffs to protect older industries, like steel and aluminum, while some economists encourage trade protections for America’s intellectual property and new technologies like artificial intelligence. What does greater protectionism look like in 21st-century America? Are there advantages to raising tariffs? And in what ways will American businesses, workers, and consumers feel the consequences of protectionism and resulting trade wars? UCLA Anderson economist Ed Leamer, Former U.S. Treasury Department senior coordinator for China affairs David Loevinger, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade and Compliance in the Obama Administration Michael Camuñez, Director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Center Daniel Sumner, and moderator and reporter for The New York Times Natalie Kitroeff, took part in a Zócalo