The American public generally supports international trade and globalization.

• Fifty-six percent of Americans believe globalization is good for the United States. A majority of Americans also think globalization is good for American companies, consumers, the U.S. economy and their own standard of living.
  • Seventy-nine percent believe Americans have a larger selection of goods and products to choose from as a result of free trade.
  • Sixty-seven percent believe liberalized trade makes American companies improve quality and prices.
• More than 60 percent of Americans think that globalization strengthens the economies of poor countries and improves human rights and democracy abroad.

The American public supports free trade agreements.

• Fifty-seven percent of Americans approve of free trade agreements with other countries. When asked if they support free trade agreements in combination with government programs to aid displaced workers, 73 percent of Americans said yes.
• A substantial majority of Americans support the World Trade Organization (WTO) and U.S. participation in the WTO.
  • Fifty-nine percent of Americans believe the United States can best achieve its objectives through the WTO. Only 22 percent believe withdrawal from the WTO is an appropriate U.S. strategy.
  • Sixty-three percent of Americans believe the WTO should be strengthened, and 64 percent think the United States should comply with WTO rulings against the United States.
• Americans also support continued U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Only 14 percent of participants in a 2001 survey believed the United States should pull out of NAFTA, down from 17 percent in 1997. Sixty-five percent believe the United States should remain in NAFTA as it is or with some changes.

A clear majority of Americans support the inclusion of labor and environment standards in trade agreements.

• Ninety-three percent of Americans believe countries that are parties to international trade agreements should be required to maintain minimum labor standards.
• Ninety-four percent believe countries that are parties to international trade agreements should be required to maintain minimum standards for environmental protection.
• Sixty-six percent of Americans believe that other countries should be allowed to impose labeling requirements on genetically modified food.