Consider two sets of shops.

This set in Denver: http://elbertcounty.net/blog/2012/04/14/things-change/

This set in Shanghai: http://elbertcounty.net/blog/2012/06/08/on-1-block-of-fujian-road/

A place has an economic comparative advantage if its opportunity costs for providing a good or service are greater than the opportunity costs for providing that good or service in another place.

Put less obtusely, a place has a comparative advantage for a given good or service if it can be produced for less cost in that place, than in another place.

People who are allowed to trade freely with each other can utilize their comparative advantages to provide the least cost goods to each other, and thereby maximize their combined wealth.

Maximizing wealth of the people ought to be the primary goal of any government involved with regulating or controlling international trade.

Obviously, our government has not been interested in maximizing the wealth of its citizens for some time. Various social, political, and government revenue objectives have long been put first. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will try to remedy that situation.

But what do you do about a people who would rather get high than make things? For Trump to succeed at making America great again, Americans are going to have to want to do something more than get stoned.