"Some book reviews write themselves, because the book is so clear and articulate and easily read, and the information in it so straightforward that all the
reviewer needs to do is lay it out." —Thom Hartmann, liberal talk radio and TV host.
"Fletcher knows his stuff; but he can write, too, and does a great job of explaining the proposition in his title. For sure, nearly all economic theoreticians favor
absolute free trade. His book persuades me they are wrong. Check it out." —John Derbyshire, conservative commentator, National Review.
"The only way to save our economy is for the U.S. to counter with trade and industrial policies designed to correct the defects of free trade. Ian Fletcher's Free
Trade Doesn't Work is the best guide to develop such policies"—Ernest Hollings, U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1966-2005.
"Ian Fletcher bravely takes on the free-trade theorists who led cheers for the slow-motion disintegration of American prosperity and he trumps them with facts
and clear-eyed logic. If people will listen, Fletcher's informed voice will help turn the country toward a more promising future." —William Greider, author, Come
Home, America: the Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of Our Country.
"Every now and then I come across a book I like enough to review since I think it should be in the hands of every American and every member of Congress. With
Fletcher's book, America has strategic and well-reasoned answers to our economic problems." —Roger Simmermaker, conservative commentator,
WorldNetDaily.
"Fletcher has written a powerful and refreshing critique of some cherished assumptions held by mainstream economists. It is uniformly insightful, often brilliant,
and remarkably readable. Obama’s team should read it – and soon." —George C. Lodge, professor emeritus, Harvard Business School.
"Ian Fletcher has laid out a powerful critique of so-called 'free' trade theory, while also making the case for rethinking and reforming our current trade policies.
Given the economic challenges we face in an increasingly treacherous global economy, this book provides essential tools and analysis for policy makers and
activists." —John J. Sweeney, former President, AFL-CIO.
"Most Americans live under the myth that 'sound economics' says so-called 'free' trade benefits all nations. Fletcher shows, in very readable prose, how the
discipline is finally catching up with reality and common sense and is changing its mind on that matter. This book will be an essential guide to the emerging
debate over the wisdom of 'free trade' as a sound policy for our nation." —Patrick A. Mulloy, Commissioner, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review
Commission; former Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
"If it strikes you that most of the arguments put forth for 'free' trade are really just so much globaloney, you're right! Fletcher rips the mask from free trade myths,
pointing out that economists increasingly reject the idea that our nation (or others) should base economic policy on such a dubious proposition. This book is a
powerful tool for anyone who wants to help raise common sense to high places." —Jim Hightower, Bestselling author; national radio and newspaper
commentator; editor, The Hightower Lowdown.
"You have a classic that will be of use for many years... You are making a major contribution to thinking on trade policy." —Pat Choate, running mate of Ross
Perot in 1996; author, Dangerous Business: The Risks of Globalization for America.
"The world needs to localize, and fast. Instead of throwing out supply lines, we need to reel them in. This book helps show why." —Bill McKibben, author, Deep
Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.
"Ian Fletcher makes a powerful case for abandoning the simplistic mantra that markets generally maximize welfare and tariffs or regulations reduce economic
prosperity. He points to more nuanced policies that avoid the extremes of blanket protectionism and unregulated trade." —Prof. Geoffrey Hodgson, Editor-in-
Chief, Journal of Institutional Economics.
"Ian Fletcher delivers a devastating and powerful indictment of free trade economics—one that should be widely read, not the least by economists themselves. I
agree with Fletcher: 'we can’t trust the economists.' Free Trade Doesn't Work will spark some much-needed debate on what sort of political and economic
policies we can trust." —Gavin Fridell, author, Fair Trade Coffee.
"You have written a bible for us. It is brilliant! You even cover issues I have been concerned about but never had time to discuss with any-one else. I started by
reading it and ended by studying it. Am now going through it for the second time underlining and highlighting." —Brian O’Shaughnessy, Chairman, Revere
Copper Products.
"In this sophisticated, well-informed, and comprehensive study, Ian Fletcher provides a very powerful, passionate, and convincing critique of free trade in an
accessible and engaging manner. Read it." —Ha-Joon Chang, Cambridge University; author, Kicking Away the Ladder and Bad Samaritans.
"This readable book dramatizes our lost history of global trade and punctures the mythology surrounding the benefits of unbridled free trade. A vital primer for
anyone trying to understand the current trade debate." —Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies; co-author, The Moral Measure of the Economy.
"It is standard for people in policy debates to be reflexive sup-porters of 'free' trade. This book should help people to better under-stand what this means, so it
may change some attitudes." —Dean Baker, co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research; author, False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble
Economy.
"Fletcher’s book opens up the mysteries of free trade economics for the ordinary reader and makes clear that the most up-to-date economics confirms that free
trade has no justification in either history or present-day facts. Luckily, as he also points out, viable alternatives are available if the politicians would only wake up
and take notice." —Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians; co-author, Alternatives to Economic Globalization.
"Free trade is a concept that works in the classroom and in the minds of academics and others insulated from the harsh realities of trade in the real world. In the
real world, we have managed trade. This ranges from the blind free trade faith of economists, editorial boards, and politicians to the mercantilist, protectionist,
predatory trade practiced by some of our major global trading 'partners' like China. This book is an excellent introduction to these realities and what can be
done." —Dan DiMicco, Chairman and CEO, Nucor Steel Corporation.
"A trenchant and comprehensive analysis of the gap between the theory of free trade and reality, together with a revealing de-scription of the weaknesses of
the theory itself." —Ralph Gomory, Stern School of Business, New York University; former Senior Vice President for Science and Technology, IBM; author,
Global Trade and Conflicting National Interests.
"Ian Fletcher’s book is of immense value in defining the parameters of the idolatry of free trade. Politicians and the general populace continue to be afraid to
abandon this false god because of the kind of superstitions and inaccuracies that this book exposes very well. I would highly recommend it." —Manuel F.
Montes, Chief, Development Strategy and Policy Analysis, United Nations Development Policy and Analysis Division.
"Free Trade Doesn't Work is an excellent guide to the economic realities obscured by the intellectually hollow promotion of ‘free trade’. It is up-to-date, compre-
hensive and very readable." —Jeff Faux, Distinguished Fellow, Economic Policy Institute; author, The Global Class War: How America’s Bipartisan Elite
Lost Our Future.
"In Free Trade Doesn’t Work, Ian Fletcher points to the ideal of 'free' trade and proclaims it isn’t wearing any clothes! Fletcher systematically presents the failures
of an unrestrained trade system and offers up a balanced discussion of what a managed trade system could accomplish in its place." —Thomas S. Mullikin,
author, Truck Stop Politics: Understanding the Emerging Force of Working Class America.
"One of the great destructive fantasies of modern times is the idea that free-trade theory describes how the world really works—or has ever worked. None of the
major world economies has risen to power or maintained its wealth by behaving the way modern textbooks say it should. Ian Fletcher’s book is a sustained
demonstration of this important truth." —James Fallows, national correspondent, The Atlantic.
"Ian Fletcher’s Free Trade Doesn’t Work injects some urgently needed common sense and rigorous thinking into what may be the most important economic
policy debate of our time." —Alan Tonelson, Research Fellow, U.S. Business & Industry Council, author, The Race to the Bottom.
"After reading Free Trade Doesn't Work, I now understand why so many of the trade agreements that we negotiated never delivered the promises that were made
and, if continued, never will." —Robert B. Cassidy, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China and for Asia and the Pacific.
"Free trade is not the authentic tradition of the United States or the Repub-lican Party. In a world where state capitalism and mercantilism prevail from Beijing to
Berlin, America's embrace of unilateral free trade is slow-motion economic suicide. Our jobs, our industries, and our sovereignty are in peril. This book offers
some serious solutions."—Phyllis Schlafly, President, Eagle Forum
"Every so often, a book comes along that makes it impossible for one to think the way one did before. This is one of those books." —Peter Navarro, Professor of
Business, University of California at Irvine; author, Death by China.
reviewer needs to do is lay it out." —Thom Hartmann, liberal talk radio and TV host.
"Fletcher knows his stuff; but he can write, too, and does a great job of explaining the proposition in his title. For sure, nearly all economic theoreticians favor
absolute free trade. His book persuades me they are wrong. Check it out." —John Derbyshire, conservative commentator, National Review.
"The only way to save our economy is for the U.S. to counter with trade and industrial policies designed to correct the defects of free trade. Ian Fletcher's Free
Trade Doesn't Work is the best guide to develop such policies"—Ernest Hollings, U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1966-2005.
"Ian Fletcher bravely takes on the free-trade theorists who led cheers for the slow-motion disintegration of American prosperity and he trumps them with facts
and clear-eyed logic. If people will listen, Fletcher's informed voice will help turn the country toward a more promising future." —William Greider, author, Come
Home, America: the Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of Our Country.
"Every now and then I come across a book I like enough to review since I think it should be in the hands of every American and every member of Congress. With
Fletcher's book, America has strategic and well-reasoned answers to our economic problems." —Roger Simmermaker, conservative commentator,
WorldNetDaily.
"Fletcher has written a powerful and refreshing critique of some cherished assumptions held by mainstream economists. It is uniformly insightful, often brilliant,
and remarkably readable. Obama’s team should read it – and soon." —George C. Lodge, professor emeritus, Harvard Business School.
"Ian Fletcher has laid out a powerful critique of so-called 'free' trade theory, while also making the case for rethinking and reforming our current trade policies.
Given the economic challenges we face in an increasingly treacherous global economy, this book provides essential tools and analysis for policy makers and
activists." —John J. Sweeney, former President, AFL-CIO.
"Most Americans live under the myth that 'sound economics' says so-called 'free' trade benefits all nations. Fletcher shows, in very readable prose, how the
discipline is finally catching up with reality and common sense and is changing its mind on that matter. This book will be an essential guide to the emerging
debate over the wisdom of 'free trade' as a sound policy for our nation." —Patrick A. Mulloy, Commissioner, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review
Commission; former Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
"If it strikes you that most of the arguments put forth for 'free' trade are really just so much globaloney, you're right! Fletcher rips the mask from free trade myths,
pointing out that economists increasingly reject the idea that our nation (or others) should base economic policy on such a dubious proposition. This book is a
powerful tool for anyone who wants to help raise common sense to high places." —Jim Hightower, Bestselling author; national radio and newspaper
commentator; editor, The Hightower Lowdown.
"You have a classic that will be of use for many years... You are making a major contribution to thinking on trade policy." —Pat Choate, running mate of Ross
Perot in 1996; author, Dangerous Business: The Risks of Globalization for America.
"The world needs to localize, and fast. Instead of throwing out supply lines, we need to reel them in. This book helps show why." —Bill McKibben, author, Deep
Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.
"Ian Fletcher makes a powerful case for abandoning the simplistic mantra that markets generally maximize welfare and tariffs or regulations reduce economic
prosperity. He points to more nuanced policies that avoid the extremes of blanket protectionism and unregulated trade." —Prof. Geoffrey Hodgson, Editor-in-
Chief, Journal of Institutional Economics.
"Ian Fletcher delivers a devastating and powerful indictment of free trade economics—one that should be widely read, not the least by economists themselves. I
agree with Fletcher: 'we can’t trust the economists.' Free Trade Doesn't Work will spark some much-needed debate on what sort of political and economic
policies we can trust." —Gavin Fridell, author, Fair Trade Coffee.
"You have written a bible for us. It is brilliant! You even cover issues I have been concerned about but never had time to discuss with any-one else. I started by
reading it and ended by studying it. Am now going through it for the second time underlining and highlighting." —Brian O’Shaughnessy, Chairman, Revere
Copper Products.
"In this sophisticated, well-informed, and comprehensive study, Ian Fletcher provides a very powerful, passionate, and convincing critique of free trade in an
accessible and engaging manner. Read it." —Ha-Joon Chang, Cambridge University; author, Kicking Away the Ladder and Bad Samaritans.
"This readable book dramatizes our lost history of global trade and punctures the mythology surrounding the benefits of unbridled free trade. A vital primer for
anyone trying to understand the current trade debate." —Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies; co-author, The Moral Measure of the Economy.
"It is standard for people in policy debates to be reflexive sup-porters of 'free' trade. This book should help people to better under-stand what this means, so it
may change some attitudes." —Dean Baker, co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research; author, False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble
Economy.
"Fletcher’s book opens up the mysteries of free trade economics for the ordinary reader and makes clear that the most up-to-date economics confirms that free
trade has no justification in either history or present-day facts. Luckily, as he also points out, viable alternatives are available if the politicians would only wake up
and take notice." —Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians; co-author, Alternatives to Economic Globalization.
"Free trade is a concept that works in the classroom and in the minds of academics and others insulated from the harsh realities of trade in the real world. In the
real world, we have managed trade. This ranges from the blind free trade faith of economists, editorial boards, and politicians to the mercantilist, protectionist,
predatory trade practiced by some of our major global trading 'partners' like China. This book is an excellent introduction to these realities and what can be
done." —Dan DiMicco, Chairman and CEO, Nucor Steel Corporation.
"A trenchant and comprehensive analysis of the gap between the theory of free trade and reality, together with a revealing de-scription of the weaknesses of
the theory itself." —Ralph Gomory, Stern School of Business, New York University; former Senior Vice President for Science and Technology, IBM; author,
Global Trade and Conflicting National Interests.
"Ian Fletcher’s book is of immense value in defining the parameters of the idolatry of free trade. Politicians and the general populace continue to be afraid to
abandon this false god because of the kind of superstitions and inaccuracies that this book exposes very well. I would highly recommend it." —Manuel F.
Montes, Chief, Development Strategy and Policy Analysis, United Nations Development Policy and Analysis Division.
"Free Trade Doesn't Work is an excellent guide to the economic realities obscured by the intellectually hollow promotion of ‘free trade’. It is up-to-date, compre-
hensive and very readable." —Jeff Faux, Distinguished Fellow, Economic Policy Institute; author, The Global Class War: How America’s Bipartisan Elite
Lost Our Future.
"In Free Trade Doesn’t Work, Ian Fletcher points to the ideal of 'free' trade and proclaims it isn’t wearing any clothes! Fletcher systematically presents the failures
of an unrestrained trade system and offers up a balanced discussion of what a managed trade system could accomplish in its place." —Thomas S. Mullikin,
author, Truck Stop Politics: Understanding the Emerging Force of Working Class America.
"One of the great destructive fantasies of modern times is the idea that free-trade theory describes how the world really works—or has ever worked. None of the
major world economies has risen to power or maintained its wealth by behaving the way modern textbooks say it should. Ian Fletcher’s book is a sustained
demonstration of this important truth." —James Fallows, national correspondent, The Atlantic.
"Ian Fletcher’s Free Trade Doesn’t Work injects some urgently needed common sense and rigorous thinking into what may be the most important economic
policy debate of our time." —Alan Tonelson, Research Fellow, U.S. Business & Industry Council, author, The Race to the Bottom.
"After reading Free Trade Doesn't Work, I now understand why so many of the trade agreements that we negotiated never delivered the promises that were made
and, if continued, never will." —Robert B. Cassidy, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China and for Asia and the Pacific.
"Free trade is not the authentic tradition of the United States or the Repub-lican Party. In a world where state capitalism and mercantilism prevail from Beijing to
Berlin, America's embrace of unilateral free trade is slow-motion economic suicide. Our jobs, our industries, and our sovereignty are in peril. This book offers
some serious solutions."—Phyllis Schlafly, President, Eagle Forum
"Every so often, a book comes along that makes it impossible for one to think the way one did before. This is one of those books." —Peter Navarro, Professor of
Business, University of California at Irvine; author, Death by China.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Critical Praise From One End of the Political Spectrum to the Other |
| | | | | | |