Trade Barriers Could Threaten Global Economy

17 major nations have violated a promise which avoided protectionism. Countries such as Russia, the United-States and China have taken measures to limit the imported goods. This trend, which protect their own domestic products, is a very worrying process. Some countries do it because of revenge because they hadn’t the possibility to act freely in other countries. But this kind of protectionist measures may be worsen the crisis and our global trade. These actions could lead to reaction. In this way there could be a trade war.

I think this is a natural reaction in this period. Everyone is feeling the crisis and everyone wants to be safe. The first one they save is themselves, this is a reaction everyone would have. You could compare it to other situations for example a fire. Most of the people will look how to save themselves and if there’s an opportunity they would safe someone else.

The thing is if you do something to another the chance is big that that person will do the same to you. And this is the action-reaction we can see in this situation. It’s an action of vengeance. The thing is that mostly actions of revenge are not the actions that will help a lot! And this is also the thing we can see in this case. First it will help yourself a little, but if you look in long-term you will realize that it wasn’t the best thing to do.

I think the major nations would better sit around the table and think how to solve this problem on a diplomatic an solidaristic way. If the trade barriers are too expensive it will lead to hostility and the crisis will extend. We are in a period that we have to think in an international way. If you want to read the article that I’m talking about, you can visit following site:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/17/AR2009031703218.html.

Nico Cossyns