Debating Free Trade

Free trade has been at the center of much political controversy in recent years. Both Bernie Sanders on the Left and Donald Trump on the Right have rejected the proposed TransPacific Partnership and the existing NAFTA. Liberal Hillary Clinton embraced such “free trade” agreements, only wanting to improve them. But what is free trade and is the alternative to it protectionism or is it fair trade? And now that renegotiation of NAFTA is being opened, what would just trade among Mexico, the U.S. and Canada look like?