Sophisms of the Protectionists

"Sophisms of the Protectionists" by Frédéric Bastiat is a series of essays that challenges common beliefs about economics in the 1800s. The author sets out to prove that many popular reasons for protectionism, which are policies that shield a country's industries from foreign competition, are actually flawed. Instead, Bastiat champions the idea of free trade, where goods and services can flow between countries without barriers. He wants to correct misunderstandings about protectionism and show how it hurts people in the long run, by exposing the false claims made by those who support it and make a case for how open markets can improve society. He argues that many people mistakenly think a lack of goods is good for the economy, while having plenty is bad, and he intends to show that free trade is actually much better. Bastiat promises to use clear reasoning to help readers understand the truth about economic policies.