Trade Agreements Must Prioritize People Over Profits
The Trump administration’s recent actions on international trade have destabilized the global economy, and co-ops have felt the impact. The old economic order as it pertained to trade may be a thing of the past. But instead of pining for the supposed stability and prosperity of a bygone era, it’s important to recognize that even pre-Trump, the global economy wasn’t working that well for most of the world’s inhabitants or the planet itself, based in part on trade agreements that favoured profits over people. As economist Angella McEwen asks rhetorically, “If we are outraged that Donald Trump is flouting free trade deals that he himself negotiated, does that mean we have to defend free trade now?”