Liberalism and protectionism.

Summary The "liberalism/protectionism" debate is now relevant in several areas, such as trade policy, competition law, state aid, worker protection and immigration policy. Liberalism associated with free trade, which seemed to be an unquestionable policy supported by most economists, has become the target of much criticism. Protectionism, on the other hand, coupled with a mercantilist policy, appeared in a number of countries to be an effective strategy for ensuring economic development. The competitiveness of large economies seemed to depend on selective opening to international trade and investment: this is the case of the United States, China, but also other Asian countries, and sometimes even Europe. The authors of this book challenge the univocal and simplistic view of protectionism and mercantilist policies. The discussion is particularly focused on the universal validity of free trade and the historical origins of protectionism as well as on economic theories and state policies from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century. They are interested in both economics and the logic of power and state building.