The article argues that protectionist measures, often presented as solutions to economic hardship and job losses, are ultimately detrimental to the working class. These measures, such as tariffs and trade barriers, pit workers in different countries against each other, hindering international solidarity and diverting attention from the root cause of economic problems: the global capitalist system.
Instead of protecting national economies, protectionism serves the interests of national ruling classes by fostering competition between workforces and suppressing wage demands. Transnational corporations exploit this division to maximize profits, shifting production to locations with the lowest labor costs and weakening workers’ bargaining power.
The article emphasizes the need for international working-class unity to combat this exploitation. Workers across borders share a common interest in fighting for better wages, working conditions, and social protections. By uniting against the transnational corporations that exploit them, workers can challenge the capitalist system and build a more equitable global economy. The article explicitly states that the alternative to capitalist exploitation is not nationalistic protectionism but international worker solidarity.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/05/12/will-m12.html