June 8, 2010 11:41AM 

# How to Explain Free Trade in Less Than Three Minutes 

By [Tom G. Palmer](https://www.cato.org/people/tom-g-palmer) 

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The professionally ignorant (and I’m thinking here of Lou Dobbs, among others) never “get it” about trade. They think it’s some complex swindle, in which we deny ourselves “jobs,” or that it should be about being “fair” or “balanced.” They don’t see how free trade creates prosperity and peace. I was inspired by the outstanding trade economist Doug Irwin of Dartmouth to explain what goes on when people trade. The challenge was to explain international trade in under 3 minutes. [So here’s the result in 2:57](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfE2HO8p3FE): The Great Prosperity Machine.

Share it with your favorite protectionist, or with professors and teachers. (There’s more information at [Atlas​Net​work​.org/​B​a​s​t​i​a​t​L​egacy](http://www.AtlasNetwork.org/BastiatLegacy).)

[Watch and share](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfE2HO8p3FE):

##### Related Tags 

[Trade Policy](https://www.cato.org/trade-policy), [Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies](https://www.cato.org/herbert-stiefel-center-trade-policy-studies) 

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