The North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement was created with the intentions of making North America as a whole a more competitive player in the global marketplace. Canada, America, and Mexico all share the same hope that NAFTA will be a strong outlet in supporting economic activity and promoting social cohesion between one another. Has NAFTA done this thus far? Most American’s, specifically economic patriots, would probably say that it has not because in their eyes free trade has taken away American jobs and has put America in a financial downturn. However, have Americans lost themselves in the economic side of NAFTA and forgotten about the social unity that was one of the original intensions of the agreement? By studying the effects of NAFTA, particularly on immigration, I hope to find the potential that the agreement has in leading to this sense of community between our neighboring nations. The issue that needs to be addressed is how the people within the agreement feel about their partnering allies. The problem is that NAFTA seems to have led to hostile feelings between neighbors due to the unequal economic status of our trading partners, hurting the chances of a stronger collective culture and international relationships forming. My goal is to demonstrate the importance of forming good international relationships if becoming a competitive player is the intention.

Many scholarly sources, such as the Economic Policy Institute, Congressional Research Service, and the National Forum have converged on this idea that NAFTA has significantly impacted America in a negative way, more so than in a positive way. Claiming that the loss of American jobs, the devaluation of the peso, and the increase in immigration has outweighed any benefit...

... middle of paper ...

...to neighbors harboring hostility towards other members of the community due to an unequal economic status. Rather than separate our countries by concrete borders, NAFTA has provided an opportunity for Canada, America, and Mexico to join forces and become allies. My main goal is to demonstrate how building relationships with our neighboring countries will in turn rebuild our economy. Making all three nations a strong force in the global marketplace. Building relationships will also open borders to all citizens of each country, which in turn will establish a sense of home and identity in each region. Once economic patriots see that NAFTA has opened a window to opportunities other than just imports and exports, they will hopefully be able to grasp a sense of family and a greater collective culture that is slowly being intertwined throughout all of the uniting nations.