Why Politicians Lie About Trade

FT Recommended Book on the Global Trade War

'It succeeds both in explaining how global trade works and how it affects things many voters actually care about' – Financial Times

'My hero on this is Dmitry Grozoubinski, who has written the most beautiful book' – author Rory Stewart

Why Politicians Lie About Trade – and What You Need to Know About It is your clear, witty crash-course in how global trade really works – and how leaders weaponise it to win votes, wage culture wars and spin economic fairy tales.

Written by former trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski, this smart, highly readable book explains trade policy, not trade economics – no graphs, no jargon, just sharp stories, plain English and a built-in “bullshit detector” for every grand promise about tariffs, trade deals and jobs.

What this book shows you

Across two parts – How Trade Works and Trade and the Things You Actually Care About – you’ll discover:

• How modern trade policy works in practice – from goods trade and services trade to customs unions, single markets, free trade agreements (FTAs), trade facilitation and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Why protectionism is so tempting – and how tariffs, quotas, sanctions, trade embargoes and “keeping out foreign junk” are sold as painless fixes, even when they quietly destroy jobs, growth and innovation.
• What “trading on WTO terms” really means – and why it’s usually code for accepting the bare-minimum market access on the same terms as the country your partners trust least.
• How trade agreements are really negotiated – secrecy, leaks, horse-trading, rules of origin, regulatory standards, dispute settlement and why no deal is ever truly “win-win for everyone”.
• Trade and jobs – how trade policy is endlessly blamed or praised for employment figures, how politicians on all sides massage the numbers, and why press releases about “hundreds of thousands of jobs created” should make you sceptical.
• Trade and national security, climate change and peace – from sanctions and export controls to green trade rules, economic interdependence and “trade for peace”.

Along the way, Grozoubinski dissects Trump, Brexit, trade wars, culture-war soundbites, populist protectionism and media myths that turn complex tradeoffs into easy slogans.

This paperback edition of Why Politicians Lie About Trade is designed for non-specialists who want to understand:

• International trade, trade policy and globalisation/globalization without a degree in economics.
• How tariffs, trade deals, customs unions, single markets, the WTO and trade wars actually affect jobs, prices, supply chains, national security and climate policy.
• How to spot when politicians, lobbyists or commentators are lying or oversimplifying about trade, free trade agreements, “sovereignty” and “cutting red tape at the border”.

It’s ideal for readers of politics, current affairs, public policy, economics, international relations and global trade, and for anyone trying to make sense of debates on Brexit, US–China rivalry, trade sanctions, export controls, reshoring, de-risking and industrial strategy.

If you’re tired of being dazzled by big numbers, empty promises and scary headlines about tariffs, trade wars and globalisation, this book hands you the tools to push back – calmly, confidently and with the facts on your side.

Learn how global trade really works – before the next “world-changing” trade deal hits the headlines.

Reviews

'For some time, there has been a clear gap in the market for a guide to trade policy to help those with an interest to gain a better understanding of this important field and enable them to engage more actively in trade policy debates. Dmitry Grozoubinski’s Why Politicians Lie About Trade fits the bill admirably.' Justin Brown, the Lowy Institute

'Despite being an entertaining read, this book is no joke. Structured in two parts, it succeeds both in explaining how global trade works and in illustrating how the rather rarefied topic of international trade policy affects things many voters actually care about: jobs, national security, climate change, and so on.' Felix Martin, Financial Times

'You will come out of it far more knowledgeable than you went in, and shielded from some of the more egregious deceit politicians want to inflict on you. You'll also laugh out loud.' Ian Dunt, author of How Westminster Works

'Written by a former trade negotiator who has trained many British diplomats, this book is authoritative, yet – and here’s the strange part – actually fun to read. Dmitry Grozoubinski has a rare knack for explaining complex information in an accessible and light-hearted way.' Richard Baldwin, Professor of International Economics

'Writing a 300-page book on international trade policy issues in a way that is not only accessible but also entertaining would be a serious challenge for most authors. Dmitry Grozoubinski’s new book rises to that challenge.' Chris Horseman, Bordelex

'Enraging & enlightening in equal measure. And the measure is absolutely enormous.' James O'Brien, author of How They Broke Britain

Recommended by The Rest is Politics podcast