A stream of windows

by Jagdish N. Bhagwati

Jagdish Bhagwati firmly believes that those who work at the frontiers of economics should also get down into the trenches of public policy in the only way they can: through advocacy. His frequent writings in leading newspapers and magazines are further testimony to his conviction that academics can best do public good by becoming a public nuisance. Running through his writings is the contrary voice, questioning popular positions, challenging the consensus. A Stream of Windows offers a selection of the author's policy writings from the past ten years. The title, from a James Schuyler poem, suggests the fluidity of a stream, contrasted with a stagnant pool, as well as the windows the author seeks to open to bring in fresh air. The image captures the essence of the author's writings, which forcefully opposed the demonization of Japan in the 1980s and early 1990s, and which expose the folly of current U.S. policy equating free trade with free trade areas, challenge the bipartisan bashing o