Given the different perspectives of diverse groups regarding international trade, on what should national trade policy be based

The vast majority of economic perspectives on international trade agree in that international agree is mutually benefitial for all countries. The reason is that international trade allows each country to specialize in the production of those goods and services for which they have a comparative advantage.

However, it is also true that from a social and political perspective, there are many more disagreements. For example, it is true that while international trade benefits most of the population as a whole, some sectors of the population are sometimes negatively affected by its effects.

For this reason, the approach to international trade should be: engage in trade with as many countries as possible, making sure that those groups who become disadvantaged by its effects are supported by a social safety net, and by training programs that can help them find other jobs.