Why Domestic Preference Is Ineffective: Making the Business Case for Globalized Federal Government Procurement

摘要

For hundreds of years scholars, politicians, and common folk have debated the issue of whether it is more beneficial for a country to rely on its own citizens for the supplies and services necessary for commerce and the defense of the nation, or whether the market should be open to the world for competition. Historically, the popularity of domestic preference for such supplies and services has waxed and waned, depending in large part on economic conditions. History tends to show that when times are prosperous, consumers appreciate the opportunity to take advantage of world market competition. That's when consumers truly get the best bang for their buck. When times are economically trying, however, many people have feared for their own employment and even resented foreign competition. Under such circumstances, protectionist policies tend to surface.