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Why Politicians Lie About Trade...How, and What You Need to Know
Pithy and humorous guide for anyone in politics, business, and charity who needs to know how cross-border trade worksWritten by a skilled communicator who trains staff at the United Nations and leading NGOs Crucial to understanding modern politics and diplomacy
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 23, 2024
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651 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 22, 2025
I think it was Otto von Bismarck who said “If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made." So, yes, this book is a little like watching (trade) sausage being made, in a room of full of stuffy lawyers and politicians...
The first part of the book is a little more technical and, shall we say, dry than the second part. Methinks only lawyers, technical writers, and maybe accountants will truly enjoy these chapters.
The second part is a little more lighthearted and discusses some of the more pressing issues involving trade these days. Most of us would have come for this.
The author does have a gift for making the impenetrable more palatable, with perhaps some of the clearest explanations of trade policy ever written; he deserves immense kudos. Unfortunately, this was not the the book that I had in mind when I thought I was going to learn more about trade. I learnt, yes, but it was like opening your mom's bedside table drawer cause she asked you to fetch her glasses, and finding out... Anyways, that kind of learning.
Recommended for all who want to know more about the policy aspects of trade.
The first part of the book is a little more technical and, shall we say, dry than the second part. Methinks only lawyers, technical writers, and maybe accountants will truly enjoy these chapters.
The second part is a little more lighthearted and discusses some of the more pressing issues involving trade these days. Most of us would have come for this.
The author does have a gift for making the impenetrable more palatable, with perhaps some of the clearest explanations of trade policy ever written; he deserves immense kudos. Unfortunately, this was not the the book that I had in mind when I thought I was going to learn more about trade. I learnt, yes, but it was like opening your mom's bedside table drawer cause she asked you to fetch her glasses, and finding out... Anyways, that kind of learning.
Recommended for all who want to know more about the policy aspects of trade.
July 11, 2025
A very well written, and often humorous introduction to international trade. Eye-opening, but, as of the time of reading, not the most heartening.
October 10, 2024
You can consider this a voter's guide to what actually happens in international trade. This book is written by a former Australian trade negotiator and covers a lot of ground, including how trade deals are negotiated, how the WTO works, and actually very practical tips on interrogating politicians' promises on trade. It's very accessible, never patronising and even quite funny. Would recommend this even if you DGAF about international trade because it's always useful to spot BS as a voter.
March 30, 2025
Trade is complicated
March 19, 2025
"Why Politicians Lie About Trade" by Dmitry Grozoubinski is a book that delves into the complexities of international trade, revealing the underlying forces that shape trade policy and its impact on our daily lives.
The book explores the geopolitical wiring that enables global cross-border trade, including treaties, tariffs, taxes, and disputes. The author has significantly examined the impact of trade treaties on various aspects of society, such as food, jobs, gender conflict, etc.
At its core, the book aims to illuminate the often-misunderstood world of international trade and its significance in our interconnected world. By understanding how trade actually works, readers can better navigate the complexities of global commerce and make informed decisions.
This was an amazing eye opening read and one that I highly recommend.
The book explores the geopolitical wiring that enables global cross-border trade, including treaties, tariffs, taxes, and disputes. The author has significantly examined the impact of trade treaties on various aspects of society, such as food, jobs, gender conflict, etc.
At its core, the book aims to illuminate the often-misunderstood world of international trade and its significance in our interconnected world. By understanding how trade actually works, readers can better navigate the complexities of global commerce and make informed decisions.
This was an amazing eye opening read and one that I highly recommend.
October 9, 2025
Heel geestig, zowel voor leek als voor nerd. Aanrader als je heel sterke of net geen opinies hebt over wereldhandel.
September 7, 2024
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/why-politicians-lie-about-trade-by-dmitry-grozoubinski/
Grozoubinski, a former Australian trade negotiator, gained prominence during the online Brexit wars as one of the few sensible commentators on international trade. He was particularly good at deflating British government and pro-government chest-beating statements about how they were going to biff the European and ensure future prosperity by better trade with the rest of the world. (You may recall a particularly amusing example when Liz Truss, then trade minister, announced to the media that she was going to give her Australian counterpart a severe finger-wagging, and very soon after Boris Johnson, then prime minister, sat down with the Australian and conceded pretty much everything the Aussies were looking for.)
This book is only tangentially about Brexit and more about the general nuts and bolts of trade negotiations, and perhaps more importantly, how trade negotiation is talked about by political leaders. Grozoubinski regretfully makes the case that the complexity of the subject disincentivises clarity, and politicians therefore are incentivised to downplay the details (or, if you like, “lie”) because i) it’s complicated, ii) they need to disguise their own lack of understanding and iii) it is tempting to claim quick and visible wins when you know that disproving such claims will be tedious and detailed (“if you’re explaining, you’re losing”).
It’s not only government politicians who lie about this. I vividly remember the TTIP wars, when imaginary threats to the NHS and other public services in the EU through the proposed dispute settlement mechanism of the draft treaty were used to undermine a treaty which would have ensured shared regulatory standards on both sides of the Atlantic and locked those in for much of the rest of the world. Some of the people making those arguments probably believed them, but some must have known that they were false. Grozoubinski takes us painstakingly through why any big treaty negotiation is going to look much the same. He explains the reasons for the relative opacity of the process (though by the standards of many international discussions, they are crystal clear), while admitting that a bit more transparency might make the process as a whole an easier public sell.
It’s lucid and self-deprecating, and well worth a read.
Grozoubinski, a former Australian trade negotiator, gained prominence during the online Brexit wars as one of the few sensible commentators on international trade. He was particularly good at deflating British government and pro-government chest-beating statements about how they were going to biff the European and ensure future prosperity by better trade with the rest of the world. (You may recall a particularly amusing example when Liz Truss, then trade minister, announced to the media that she was going to give her Australian counterpart a severe finger-wagging, and very soon after Boris Johnson, then prime minister, sat down with the Australian and conceded pretty much everything the Aussies were looking for.)
This book is only tangentially about Brexit and more about the general nuts and bolts of trade negotiations, and perhaps more importantly, how trade negotiation is talked about by political leaders. Grozoubinski regretfully makes the case that the complexity of the subject disincentivises clarity, and politicians therefore are incentivised to downplay the details (or, if you like, “lie”) because i) it’s complicated, ii) they need to disguise their own lack of understanding and iii) it is tempting to claim quick and visible wins when you know that disproving such claims will be tedious and detailed (“if you’re explaining, you’re losing”).
It’s not only government politicians who lie about this. I vividly remember the TTIP wars, when imaginary threats to the NHS and other public services in the EU through the proposed dispute settlement mechanism of the draft treaty were used to undermine a treaty which would have ensured shared regulatory standards on both sides of the Atlantic and locked those in for much of the rest of the world. Some of the people making those arguments probably believed them, but some must have known that they were false. Grozoubinski takes us painstakingly through why any big treaty negotiation is going to look much the same. He explains the reasons for the relative opacity of the process (though by the standards of many international discussions, they are crystal clear), while admitting that a bit more transparency might make the process as a whole an easier public sell.
It’s lucid and self-deprecating, and well worth a read.
August 14, 2024
Grozoubinski's motivation to write this book stemmed from major shifts in the international economy. For him, events such as the advent of Trump and his America First Policy and the shock decision of the UK to leave the EU marked the end of the delicate understanding that the international community had vis-a-vis liberal trade. That is, the benefits of comparative advantage outweighed the loss of sovereignty. By 2024, countries are far more willing to intervene in trade, policy priorities such as national security and environmental sustainability have surpassed international commerce in importance.
The book does a fantastic job of distilling complex and mundane debates about trade into readable and comprehensible material. It provides a useful set of questions anyone can ask about a trade policy to try and make sense of the motivations of policy makers and trade negotiators and the constraints that they face. It demonstrates that trade is never as simple as it seems, there are always winners and losers, and the question is always about choosing which of the various groups of stakeholders' interests should be prioritised, his stated ideology being: "trade and capitalism more generally work well when the profit incentive aligns with socially desirable outcomes, or can be made to do so through government regulation. Where the profit incentive can’t be neatly channelled toward good outcomes, a government should intervene."
The book does a fantastic job of distilling complex and mundane debates about trade into readable and comprehensible material. It provides a useful set of questions anyone can ask about a trade policy to try and make sense of the motivations of policy makers and trade negotiators and the constraints that they face. It demonstrates that trade is never as simple as it seems, there are always winners and losers, and the question is always about choosing which of the various groups of stakeholders' interests should be prioritised, his stated ideology being: "trade and capitalism more generally work well when the profit incentive aligns with socially desirable outcomes, or can be made to do so through government regulation. Where the profit incentive can’t be neatly channelled toward good outcomes, a government should intervene."
August 28, 2024
Dmitry Grozoubinski is a trade lawyer and well place to explain the basics of how international trade works in his new book.
His objective here is to provide a wide overview of how trade works, why it is so complicated and why politicians are so heavily incentivised to lie about it. It's the sort of book that would have been very handy to have a decade ago when Trump and Brexit placed trade very high in the public eye.
Grozoubinski's central pitch is that trade is inherently complicated and he elaborates very elegantly on why this must be so. From here, he shows that there will always be trade offs. For example, a trade deal which benefits a country's economy will usually offer a general benefit but specific sectors may find themselves worse off. In the nineteenth century, Britain repealed its Corn Laws, lowering the price of food but at the expense of the landowners.
The author is very careful to respect nuance and that all sides can raise legitimate points. Overall, I would recommend this as an excellent place to begin understanding how trader works. However, the Kindle edition of this book contains numerous typos, errors and, for some reason, the subheadings are crammed against the end of the preceding paragraph. I don't know why this was allowed but it did dampen my enjoyment of the book.
His objective here is to provide a wide overview of how trade works, why it is so complicated and why politicians are so heavily incentivised to lie about it. It's the sort of book that would have been very handy to have a decade ago when Trump and Brexit placed trade very high in the public eye.
Grozoubinski's central pitch is that trade is inherently complicated and he elaborates very elegantly on why this must be so. From here, he shows that there will always be trade offs. For example, a trade deal which benefits a country's economy will usually offer a general benefit but specific sectors may find themselves worse off. In the nineteenth century, Britain repealed its Corn Laws, lowering the price of food but at the expense of the landowners.
The author is very careful to respect nuance and that all sides can raise legitimate points. Overall, I would recommend this as an excellent place to begin understanding how trader works. However, the Kindle edition of this book contains numerous typos, errors and, for some reason, the subheadings are crammed against the end of the preceding paragraph. I don't know why this was allowed but it did dampen my enjoyment of the book.
March 3, 2025
This is simply one of the best books I have read this year. Written by a former trade negotiator who knows what he is writing about, this is learning about trade and the messiness of the ideas, trade-offs, and blatant lies that surround trade, trade law and policy, and (public) talk about trade.
But don’t think this is a technical book written for a niche audience. The author is well aware that ‘the average human being would rather eat a broken glass salad than read about the small print of a World Trade Orgnaization tariff schedule’. Trade is important and this book masterfully communicates complex concepts simply and compellingly, with bundles of real humour and personality (there are headings like ‘No World Police (Interpol Doesn’t Count)’ and ‘Good News, None of Us Know What We’re Doing’).
This book is skillful communication of the highest order. Readers will be engaged and educated in equal measure. Given the rise of protectionism, protectionist talk, and reductive answers to complex problems, this work is also timely. To the extent possible given my small role, I’d be pushing for this to be a recommended text in one of my units I help teach.
But don’t think this is a technical book written for a niche audience. The author is well aware that ‘the average human being would rather eat a broken glass salad than read about the small print of a World Trade Orgnaization tariff schedule’. Trade is important and this book masterfully communicates complex concepts simply and compellingly, with bundles of real humour and personality (there are headings like ‘No World Police (Interpol Doesn’t Count)’ and ‘Good News, None of Us Know What We’re Doing’).
This book is skillful communication of the highest order. Readers will be engaged and educated in equal measure. Given the rise of protectionism, protectionist talk, and reductive answers to complex problems, this work is also timely. To the extent possible given my small role, I’d be pushing for this to be a recommended text in one of my units I help teach.
June 18, 2025
3.5/5 In a world where trade and regulations are suddenly front-page news, the title alone pulled me in. The book offers a high-level overview of some very complex trade concepts. Even with the explanations provided, a few topics remained a bit confusing but as the author notes, if you're looking for deep detail, you'll need a more specialized book.
That said, the author uses humor and relatable examples to make much of the content accessible. Trade compliance, policy, and regulations are inherently complex, and this book does a solid job of packaging them into a manageable and engaging read.
Why do politicians lie about trade? Because it’s confusing and sometimes, there’s no clear right answer.
That said, the author uses humor and relatable examples to make much of the content accessible. Trade compliance, policy, and regulations are inherently complex, and this book does a solid job of packaging them into a manageable and engaging read.
Why do politicians lie about trade? Because it’s confusing and sometimes, there’s no clear right answer.
November 4, 2024
Once you have gone through the first part, which is a pretty dry and mechanical (but needed) explanation of how global trade works, the second part is really enjoyable. It addresses the impacts, dynamics, motivations, challenges and limitations of global trade policies in an engaging and useful way.
February 16, 2025
Excellent attempt at bringing the complex and often dry details of trade policy to the public. A big service that I hope does something to improve the level of public debate. Can we please have a series of these now into the other key public policy arenas? That could shift the dial and nudge us towards real solutions to real problems - that has somehow evaded us of late.
May 27, 2025
It took me back to reading uni textbooks… I find the information so interesting, yet it’s as dry as a desert. As another reviewer stated, the second half is much lighter bringing insights and sparking a-ha moments (I’m sure I’ve heard some politician say that). I did found some of the sexual innuendos a bit misplaced.
October 19, 2024
An exceptional read
From one trade nerd to another, this book was simply exceptional. Dmitry is the Tom Clancy of trade policy writing. For experts and amateurs, this is an exceptional and fun read!
Keep on writing Dmitry!
From one trade nerd to another, this book was simply exceptional. Dmitry is the Tom Clancy of trade policy writing. For experts and amateurs, this is an exceptional and fun read!
Keep on writing Dmitry!
April 29, 2025
Great overview and timely. Details but not technical
June 29, 2025
Very interesting and accessible. Fun to read, which is impressive, given the topic
January 2, 2025
This was such a good example of clear communication, designed to make a topic which could otherwise have been dry easy to understand and with humour. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews