People tend to overlook that it largely caused, among other things, the Irish potato famine:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.e-ir.info&#x2F;2011&#x2F;06&#x2F;23&#x2F;britain-free-trade-and-the-irish-potato-famine&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.e-ir.info&#x2F;2011&#x2F;06&#x2F;23&#x2F;britain-free-trade-and-the-i...</a><p>As in the 1800s, it&#x27;s a good deal for rich countries and a bad deal for developing countries since their infant industries can&#x27;t compete and so never get off the ground.<p>China was wise not to follow this path. As was Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong.