Paul McCrea | Influence Pro Communications Inc.
Influence by Design - Certified by Experience.
July 2025
In 2017, I wrote about the dangers of protectionism and the long-term value of globalization. I argued then—as I do now—that while the pursuit of lower production costs and improved product quality has driven companies to source globally, it’s been international business, not government, that truly led the globalization charge. That’s still true. But the stakes have changed.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the world is once again flirting with economic myopia. A resurgence of economic nationalism, decoupling rhetoric, and trade sanctions—especially between major economies like the U.S. and China—has brought uncertainty to supply chains and global investment. As countries retreat inward, we're risking a return to siloed thinking that stifles innovation and raises costs across the board.
Ironically, the very systems built to cushion economic shocks—diversified supply chains, global logistics, shared R&D—are being dismantled by the same policymakers who once championed growth. Companies are now stuck between governments demanding local loyalty and markets that still expect global value.
It’s not that globalization was perfect. It created winners and losers. But the answer was never to pull back—it was to invest forward. In 2017, I wrote that governments should channel the gains of free trade into education, retraining, and social safety nets. That advice holds stronger now, especially with AI, automation, and climate change redefining the future of work.
We can’t afford to treat global trade like a political pawn. We’ve seen what happens when walls go up—product prices rise, cooperation erodes, and progress slows. History doesn’t just repeat—it punishes those who ignore it.