Activity 1: Free Trade versus Protectionism

Aims

To see the possible effects of protectionism and free trade on countries’ economies.

National Curriculum links

Pupils should be taught:

1(e) about how the economy functions; (j) about the wider issues and challenges of global interdependence and responsibility

2(c) to contribute to group and exploratory class discussions, and take part in formal debates

Resources

• Activity Sheet 1.1
• Activity Sheet 1.2
• Scissors, glue, additional paper

Activity A

• Pupils read the definitions of protectionism and free trade on Activity Sheet 1.1.
• Ensure that they understand the difference. This may take some time.
• Pupils cut out the cards on Activity Sheet 1.2 and place the cards in two rows as directed on Activity Sheet 1.1 (‘Advantages of free trade’ and ‘Advantages of protectionism’).
• Pupils to add one more advantage of both protectionism and free trade.

Activity B

• Pupils to read and discuss the two paragraphs.
• Consider in what situations free trade is best and in what situations protectionism is best.

Differentiation

Work individually, in pairs or groups, depending on ability

Extension

• Introduce the World Trade Organisation (WTO) explaining that its role is to monitor trade and tariffs, and that it wields considerable power to rule against national laws if they are seen to restrict the freedom of global trade. Ask one pupil or group of pupils to find criticisms of its role and another to find praise of it. Pupils might use the following websites and those of newspapers:

• www.dti.gov.uk/worldtrade
• www.fairtrade.org.uk
• www.ifg.org
• www.wto.org

• Write a report based on a class discussion of the relative merits of free trade, protectionism or a combination of the two.

Discussion

Activity C

What do you think is the best policy (free trade or protectionism) for:

• a developing country?
• a developed country?