Bob Murphy Show Ep. 410 Breaking Down Oren Cass Talking Free Trade With Tucker
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May 23, 2025 
Adam Haman returns to dissect Oren Cass's thought-provoking views on free trade after his appearance on Tucker Carlson's show. Oren, an economist at American Compass and renowned protectionist, critiques free trade's influence on U.S. manufacturing. They delve into managed versus free trade, particularly in light of U.S.-China relations. The conversation challenges established economic beliefs, highlighting the need for diverse viewpoints and discussing the balance between individual responsibility and societal good.
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Free Trade Origin Myth
- Oren Cass disputes the simplistic "free market" label for free trade, calling it a misconstrued doctrine often treated like a physics law.
- He exposes historical economic critiques of free trade assumptions by both Alfred Marshall and David Ricardo.
Nuance in Classical Trade Theory
- David Ricardo’s comparative advantage model assumes immobile capital and fixed labor for its results.
- Alfred Marshall critiqued the Ricardian model’s generalizability, especially regarding workers, but not its trade theory.
Managed Trade vs Markets
- Oren Cass supports managed trade and government intervention to preserve key industries.
- Conversely, markets can adapt through stockpiling and flexible capacity without government tariffs.