Are there any actual decent arguments in favor of protectionism

>>1532431

I suppose you have the infant industry model for temporary protectionism.

>>1532431
-Multiple, government controlled, manipulated currencies.

-Minimum income laws.

>>1532431
the same arguments you could use for individualism over collectivism. it's just personal interest vs. the collective group's interests except with states instead of people

If you believe profit is the end of all, then I guess you'll gladly accept me shitting in your mouth twice a day and then pissing on your girlfriend/wife for a year for 20 million dollars.
To further explain it to you, even if there's overall bigger profit in free trade, who exactly profits is still important.
And finally, short term economic benefits can lead to long-term non-economic issues.
There's no wonder free trade was always pushed by strongest powers: it's another way of dominating weaker and building an empire.
Only now empire-building is far more refined and less obvious to an average Joe.
Still, effects seem to be similar, with a major exception: American culture is a cancer that is eating America and world, which is amazing because it only exists for two centuries.