Final answer:
International trade, taken as a whole, can both increase and decrease the total number of jobs.
Step-by-step explanation:
International trade, taken as a whole, can have both positive and negative effects on the total number of jobs in a country.
On one hand, international trade can lead to an increase in the total number of jobs. When a country engages in trade with other nations, it can benefit from access to a larger market, which can create new opportunities for businesses to expand and hire more workers.
On the other hand, international trade can also lead to a decrease in the total number of jobs. When a country imports goods from other nations, it could lead to a decline in domestic industries that cannot compete with cheaper foreign products. This could result in job losses in those industries.
Overall, the impact of international trade on the total number of jobs depends on various factors such as the structure of the labor market, the competitiveness of industries, and the policy measures taken to support domestic industries.