Without for one minute diminishing the value of International trade - where each country does what it does best, as determined by market and monetary forces - Christine Lagarde's speech highlights distortions and problems caused by self centered and greedy, if not unlawful, countries and groups which cannot be ignored.
Free trade and economic stimulus was established in the decades following the Second World War to bring Global prosperity and wealth to all people. China and the EU, in particular, should now adopt the same altruistic principles that the former great economic powers did.
Free Trade is Fair Trade, without using muscle or sly underhand methods to gain advantage, or to do harm to a smaller member.
On the one hand I see China as a rigid totalitarian regime who will consider only their own interests, and the EU as fluffy democracy gone mad, who will do the same. It is ironic that these two who have been the greatest winners from Free Trade, are likely to be the ones which will tear it down.
