Interesting story - but I don't buy it! ;) Global trade is not a cornerstone of general economic prosperity, at home or abroad. Almost the opposite is true.
Throughout the 21st Century we have witnessed increasing Global trade hand in hand with increasing Global Poverty, both home and abroad. The rot at the centre is a monetary system based on debt. A Global Ponzi scheme if you like.
Unless Monetary Reform is enacted, it makes little difference to the 'man on the street' whether we have trade wars, tariffs, or more "Global trade harmonisation"
https://steemit.com/money/@glasiad/have-you-bee-financially-brainwashed-take-the-test
Just took the test. I am not brainwashed at all apparently. Couldn't agree with you more about Fiat, Fractional reserve Ponzi scheme. I wrote a post about it if you're interested: https://in-this-together.com/how-banksters-rule-the-world/
However, while I wholeheartedly agree with you that global trade certainly does not equate to the relief of poverty on a global scale, it does and has contributed to improved living standards for some, especially in the Western democracies. A trade war reduces countries 'comparative advantage,' leading to loss of revenue for the country as a whole, especially the poorest nations. The impact in richer economies always hits the poorest hardest. We see wage depression, investment stagnation and a lack of innovation during trade wars.
Protectionism is anti free market and the free market capitalism is, in my opinion, the best theoretical model for improving living standards for all. Though I would argue it will flourish better without the interference of the state. The problem is we have never had true free market capitalism. What we see instead is crony capitalism, the hoarding of assets and resources and the centralisation of power, used to protect the very small number of 'haves' from the very large number of comparative 'have nots.'