The case for free trade

other study known to man. This is no accident. The

inherent difficulties of the subject would be great enough

in any case, but they are multiplied a thousandfold by a

factor that is insignificant in, say, physics, mathematics or

medicine-the special pleading of selfish interests. While

every group has certain economic interests identical with

those of all groups, every group has also, as we shall see,

interests antagonistic to those of all other groups. While

certain public policies would in the long run benefit every-

body, other policies would benefit one group only at the

expense of all other groups. The group that would benefit

by such policies, having such a direct interest in them, will