I try to make the classic case for free trade in an article about outsourcing to India.
In fact, a good way to attain clarity in discussing the issue of outsourcing is to substitute the phrase “economic activity” for outsourcing:
- There sure has been an increase in economic activity with India lately.
- Aren’t you afraid that you could lose your job to economic activity?
- The Congressman has introduced a bill that he promises will stop economic activity.
For Discussion. Most of the comments where the essay was posted, as well as several emails I received, suggest that the point was not well taken. Is there a new argument to be made against free trade in white-collar labor services, or is there an old argument that carries new force?
READER COMMENTS
Eric Krieg
Jul 19 2003 at 2:42pm
Arnold, I think the point was not well taken because it is not easily seen the American products that Indians consume. We don’t see the American products that Indians buy, or the American jobs produced by Indian consumption. But the reverse is easily seen. Those computer programmers make sure of that.
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