Economic nationalism is the opposite of free-market conservatism

This essay is a part of The Right Way Forward, Restoring America’s new think tank debate series in which leading conservative institutions argue the defining questions of the post-Trump era. Read about the series here.

Reagan Republicans seek to foster the growth attributed to free markets by adhering to principles such as free trade and limited government. For decades, a pro-market perspective dominated policy, bringing prosperity. But freedom also brought change. Some Americans — often blue-collar workers, religious conservatives, young men — were alienated by these changes. Some conservatives refocused on loyalty to these alienated people rather than to their starting principles — and conservatism rebranded itself as economic nationalism. 

Economic nationalism is not just an alternative to free-market conservatism. It is its opposite. Saving the nation from change requires a more active role for government — tariffs, deportations, and more. In that sense, economic nationalism mirrors the big-government Left and is