Working Papers
A Network Approach to Geopolitics
Economics Working Paper 26127
October 16, 2026
Published: August 2, 2017
Trade and immigration are good for the U.S. economy. Free trade allows Americans to buy better goods at lower prices and provides bigger markets where we can sell our own goods. More immigration leads to economic growth and improvements in our standard of living. The logic that isolation and protectionism will create more American jobs is misguided and detrimental to economic growth.
Discussion Questions
- Why does the United States currently favor family reunification over employment when it comes to permanent residency limits?
- Why is there an anti-immigration sentiment when immigration is promoting economic growth?
- What can we do to preserve our current trade policy?
Additional Resources
- Read John Cochrane’s chapter “Trade and Immigration” in Blueprint for America here.
- You can find the rest of Blueprint for America here.
- For more on trade from John Cochrane, click here.
- For more on immigration from John Cochrane, click here.
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