Jobs, International Trade, and Economic Development

Here is an abstract of a new webpage at the Upjohn Institute website on jobs and trade. It's a good one.

Job loss in the U.S. labor market, particularly in manufacturing, is widely blamed on international trade and competition. Trade pacts such as NAFTA have reduced or eliminated tariffs on goods flowing into the country while making it possible for manufacturers to tap into low-cost labor across borders or even oceans.

As election season rhetoric intensifies, it may be useful to review the latest findings of a gathering of academic, nonpartisan researchers with much experience in the area of international trade and job loss. Three recently-published books from the Upjohn Institute, authored by such researchers, examine the impacts of international trade and exchange rate policies on the U.S. labor market. In addition, all three books stress the importance of job training in order to help workers (and companies) acquire the skills necessary to make the transition prompted by trade-induced job reallocation.

Here to read more.