The slogan "Liberation Day" can be seen as somewhat ironic (in the loose, colloquial sense of that word) since the 18th-cent. and later proponents of free trade themselves aimed to liberate states and peoples from the constraints of mercantilist policies, as G. Gerstle points out in a passage I quote in a v. short (and admittedly rather simplistic) post at my blog. After I wrote the post I pulled my old Samuelson textbook, which happened to be at hand, off the shelf, but that's another story.
The slogan "Liberation Day" can be seen as somewhat ironic (in the loose, colloquial sense of that word) since the 18th-cent. and later proponents of free trade themselves aimed to liberate states and peoples from the constraints of mercantilist policies, as G. Gerstle points out in a passage I quote in a v. short (and admittedly rather simplistic) post at my blog. After I wrote the post I pulled my old Samuelson textbook, which happened to be at hand, off the shelf, but that's another story.
https://surmisesandsuspicions.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/a-note-on-the-history-of-certain-economic-ideas/
Thanks for the comment, LFC. Sorry for slow response, I had to focus on some other work the past few days.
Agree that the "Liberation" language is appropriated, as it was during the Brexit campaign (remember "Global Britain"?!? LOL).
Working on some posts related to structural power, global networks, and system collapse.