Overview of Free Trade

The past three decades have been called the "free trade era" characterized by a sharp reduction in tariffs. The result has been a massive expansion of international trade among virtually all countries.

The trend toward free trade has contributed to a sharp decrease in manufacturing jobs in the U.S. but there has been an signficant increase in the number of overall jobs.

The NAFTA agreement has significantly enhanced the economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.

Public opinion generally supports the trend toward free trade.