In Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith complained that attempts to force consumers to buy from domestic manufacturers were misconceived. Government should not dictate where people spend their own money, and it goes against every man’s instinct to labour over making a poorer, more costly item at home rather than buy a better, cheaper item from a professional.

Wisely, said Smith, tradesmen make only what they have the skill to make, and buy other things from fellow tradesmen. A wise Government would do the same, and let the public buy from abroad what we don’t make well at home. This would put our earnings to work in the most efficient way, for ourselves and for the wider economy.

117 words