Ambivalence About International Trade in Open- and Closed-ended Survey Responses

27 Pages Posted: 3 Nov 2021

See all articles by Arturo Chang

Arturo Chang

Northwestern University

Thomas Ferguson

University of Massachusetts Boston - Department of Political Science

Jacob Rothschild

Northwestern University

Benjamin Page

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: September 1, 2021

Abstract

Spontaneous, open-ended survey responses can sometimes better reveal what is actually on people’s minds than small sets of forced-choice, closed questions. Our analysis of closed questions and trade-related open-ended responses to 2016 ANES “likes” and “dislikes” prompts indicate that Americans held considerably more complex, more ambivalent, and – in many cases – more negative views of international trade than has been apparent in studies that focus only on closed-ended responses. This paper suggests that contrast between open- and closed-question data may help explain why the effectiveness of Donald Trump’s appeals to trade resentments surprised many observers.

Keywords: Free Trade; Public Opinion; international trade; Donald Trump; opinion surveys, political economy.

JEL Classification: C83; F10; F13, F59, F68

Suggested Citation

Chang, Arturo and Ferguson, Thomas and Rothschild, Jacob and Page, Benjamin, Ambivalence About International Trade in Open- and Closed-ended Survey Responses (September 1, 2021). Institute for New Economic Thinking Working Paper Series No. 162, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3952123

Arturo Chang

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Thomas Ferguson (Contact Author)

University of Massachusetts Boston - Department of Political Science ( email )

Boston, MA 02125
United States
617-265-7173 (Fax)

Jacob Rothschild

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Benjamin Page

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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