Final answer:
Nations may hesitate to eliminate trade barriers and opt for international trade negotiations to maintain control over domestic markets, protect local industries and jobs, and mitigate economic instability that could arise from sudden changes in market conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
If opening up to free trade would benefit a nation, then the question arises as to why nations do not simply eliminate their trade barriers without engaging in international trade negotiations. The primary reasons include: a) Nations fear losing control over their domestic markets, which is a concern about excessive foreign competition harming local industries, c) Nations prioritize protecting domestic industries from foreign competition to safeguard jobs and maintain economic stability, and b) Eliminating trade barriers could cause economic instability due to sudden changes in market conditions impacting various sectors differently.
Even though free trade can stimulate economic growth and offer consumers a broader range of products at lower prices, it can also lead to job displacement in sectors that cannot compete with imported goods. As a result, there's a trade-off between the overall economic benefits and the individual losses that can be sustained by workers in vulnerable sectors, which needs to be managed through policy measures. International trade negotiations allow nations to orchestrate the reduction of trade barriers while seeking to minimize the adverse effects on domestic industries and workers.