How has "Free Trade" become synonymous with Conservative? And "Fair Trade" means Socialism. How'd that happen? I'm of the opinon that rationally protecting your nation's individual needs and interests is CONSERVATIVE.
Blindly throwing open your nation's borders, sovereignty and markets is LIBERAL.
I applaud France for rationally protecting their nation's interests.
KARL MARX advocated FREE TRADE. He believed it would destroy the world's middle classes and hasten the revolution...
Karl Marx was wrong about most things though. The fact is that free trade encourages trade which encourages specialization which means better productivity which usually is a good deal for both countries. The US is just one big free trade zone. IIRC, if you look at Marx's little free trade tirade it was a response to a question about anglo-saxon capitalism. Things haven't changed.