But it's rubbish. We would never have come down from the trees if this theory were true. The contemporary French and Japanese responses to free trade prove it. The worldwide grassroots revulsion against the MAI also proved it. Many people strongly object to seeing their neighbor's job exported, even if it means lower prices for them.
Japan also thinks national food security is a good idea.
At a meeting in Seattle next week, Japan plans to tell farm ministers from Australia, the US, Canada and the EU that it opposes lower trade barriers. Given this century's history, anybody with half a brain would agree. Increasingly, people are seeing that some nations of the world talk big about free trade, but practice it very selectively. Increasingly, people are seeing that free trade is a disaster for third world countries. It gets worse.