WORLD TRADE AFTER WORLD
WAR II: THE EU, NAFTA, AND
THE WTO
Lesson 39
DESCRIPTION

The students participate in a trading simulation
that illustrates the consequences of voluntary
trade among individuals in increasingly large
groups. They apply insights from this experience
in an analysis of international trade after World
War II, especially as it has been enhanced by the
establishment of the European Union (EU), the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
MYSTERY

Economists generally are strong supporters of
free trade among the nations of the world. Their
argument is that in any nation people overall will
be better off if they buy things from suppliers in
other nations whenever they can buy those
things more cheaply than domestic suppliers can
make and sell them. But when American workers
are being laid off and plants are being closed
because of foreign competition, are America’s
interests served best by policies that restrict
trade in order to protect American enterprises?
Or are they made worse off?