Political Economy with Jim Pethokoukis

Political Economy with Jim Pethokoukis


Kimberly Clausing: The progressive case for globalization

January 15, 2020

As the Democratic presidential primary unfolds, it appears that many progressives are critical of globalization. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren accuse trade deals like NAFTA of allowing multinational corporations to sell out American workers and exploit residents of developing countries. But at the same time, support for trade and immigration among Democratic voters has dramatically increased during the Trump administration. So what can we expect for the future of the Democratic party? And how much should globalization’s advocates adjust their messaging and policy proposals to better care for domestic workers adversely affected by free trade? I discuss these questions and more with Kimberly Clausing.

Kimberly Clausing is the Thormund Miller and Walter Mintz Professor of Economics at Reed College, where she studies international trade, international and public finance, and the taxation of multinational firms. She has worked on economic policy research with the International Monetary Fund, the Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution, and the Tax Policy Center. She is also the author of Open: The Progressive Case for Free Trade, Immigration, and Global Capital.