--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The defining moment in American economic…" description: "\"The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World Trade Organization. It was the worst politica..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg" --- # The defining moment in American economic history is when… ![“The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World Trade Organization. It was the worst political and economic mistake in American history in the last 100 years. China went into the World Trade Organization and agreed to play by certain rules…” quote by Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg) > “The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World Trade Organization. It was the worst political and economic mistake in American history in the last 100 years. China went into the World Trade Organization and agreed to play by certain rules. Instead, they are illegally subsidizing their exports, manipulating their currency, stealing all of our intellectual property, using sweatshops, using pollution havens. What happens is, our businesses and workers are playing that game with two hands tied behind their back.” [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote claims that China's WTO entry caused severe economic harm to the U.S., citing unfair trade practices and loss of competitiveness. **In simple terms:** China's WTO entry hurt U.S. economy, says author. Key Takeaway Recognize trade imbalances and seek fair policies. Themes trade economics policy geopolitics Mood concerned critical analytical Type political economic controversial When to use this quote - government negotiations - business strategy - policy advocacy - consumer awareness - academic research Key Concepts Protectionism globalization intellectual property labor standards environmental impact Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance free trade with protecting domestic interests? - What policies can mitigate unfair trade practices? A Different Perspective Critics argue that many factors, not just WTO entry, affect trade outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) [Defining moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-moment/) [Economic history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-history/) [Hands tied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-tied/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectual property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-property/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-trade/) ## Related quotes > [The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World Trade Organization. It was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-defining-moment-in-american-economic-history-is-when-bill-clinton-2/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [In my movie, "Death By China," it shows Bill Clinton in 2000 promising that when China got into the World Trade Organization we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/in-my-movie-death-by-china-it-shows-bill-clinton-in-2000-promising/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [You have to understand that under One Country, Two Systems, we are a separate customs authority in the same way we are a separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lam/you-have-to-understand-that-under-one-country-two-systems-we-are-a/) [Carrie Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lam/) > [As commerce secretary, I led the Clinton administration's effort to ensure China's entry into the World Trade Organization and the permanent normalization of trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/as-commerce-secretary-i-led-the-clinton-administration-s-effort-to/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [Canada and the United States are also working at the World Trade Organization and in our own hemisphere with negotiations for a Trade Area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cellucci/canada-and-the-united-states-are-also-working-at-the-world-trade/) [Paul Cellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cellucci/) > [If Texas and Kansas were countries they wouldn't be admitted to the World Trade Organization. Their policies are congruent with North Korea, Somalia, Turkestan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/if-texas-and-kansas-were-countries-they-wouldn-t-be-admitted-to-the/) [Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/) > [Russian membership in the World Trade Organization has the potential to strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption, and give Russia a stake in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/russian-membership-in-the-world-trade-organization-has-the-potential/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [The E.U. is more than just a trade organization or a common market; it is a guarantee of democracy, freedom, justice, and human rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bruton/the-e-u-is-more-than-just-a-trade-organization-or-a-common-market-it/) [John Bruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bruton/) > [When it comes to disputes before the World Trade Organization, we generally win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/when-it-comes-to-disputes-before-the-world-trade-organization-we/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [I opposed the World Trade Organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-opposed-the-world-trade-organization/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The World Trade Organization is an organization that defends trade interests. I think the problem is less that they exist. The problem is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/the-world-trade-organization-is-an-organization-that-defends-trade/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Our global institutional arrangements - the basic ground rules that govern our world economy - are human-made. They don't exist naturally, nor are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/our-global-institutional-arrangements-the-basic-ground-rules-that/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [We have to build movements in the face of trade retaliation on the basis of people's democratic rights, on the basis of an ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/we-have-to-build-movements-in-the-face-of-trade-retaliation-on-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [What countries must do to join the World Trade Organization is precisely what they must do to become productive and democratic: accept the rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/what-countries-must-do-to-join-the-world-trade-organization-is/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [I'm someone who can create critiques of individuals based on their economic history. That's one way I look at people in terms of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-m-someone-who-can-create-critiques-of-individuals-based-on-their/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) ## More by Peter Navarro > [I don't know why so many people in America hate Hillary Clinton; I found her to be one of the most gracious, intelligent, perceptive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/i-don-t-know-why-so-many-people-in-america-hate-hillary-clinton-i/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [During a campaign, the trick is to spend no more than 15 to 30 seconds with anyone and to keep moving so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/during-a-campaign-the-trick-is-to-spend-no-more-than-15-to-30-seconds/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [One of the principles of the Trump administration is that we will never sacrifice our economy on the altar of foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/one-of-the-principles-of-the-trump-administration-is-that-we-will/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [When we run these big trade deficits and send our jobs offshore, we hold our wages down and our income down. That feeds right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/when-we-run-these-big-trade-deficits-and-send-our-jobs-offshore-we/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [As soon as one bad actor like China massively cheats, they win at the expense of us; they win at the expense of Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/as-soon-as-one-bad-actor-like-china-massively-cheats-they-win-at-the/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [Here's the broader inconvenient truth for both Clinton and women's rights that Trump is more than willing to tell voters: Islam, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/here-s-the-broader-inconvenient-truth-for-both-clinton-and-women-s/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [When you go to a political convention, the best place to spend time is at the numerous parties put on by lobbyists. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/when-you-go-to-a-political-convention-the-best-place-to-spend-time-is/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [The Donald Trump trade doctrine is this. America will trade with any country, so long as that deal meets these three criterion: You increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-donald-trump-trade-doctrine-is-this-america-will-trade-with-any/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [Never, ever cheat, especially yourself, even if you are absolutely, positively sure that you can get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/never-ever-cheat-especially-yourself-even-if-you-are-absolutely/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [Politicians need money at election time and money to get the vote. Well, more than half of money in election comes from corporate interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/politicians-need-money-at-election-time-and-money-to-get-the-vote/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [I teach MBAs. And I noticed, starting a few years after China joined the World Trade Organization, that a lot of my students were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/i-teach-mbas-and-i-noticed-starting-a-few-years-after-china-joined/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [In my movie, "Death By China," it shows Bill Clinton in 2000 promising that when China got into the World Trade Organization we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/in-my-movie-death-by-china-it-shows-bill-clinton-in-2000-promising/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [Let me say right off the bat that I'm not what you would call a 'tree hugger' or a 'bushes and bunnies' environmentalist out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/let-me-say-right-off-the-bat-that-i-m-not-what-you-would-call-a-tree/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [There's a natural antipathy on the part of the voters to a continuation of globalization as we know it. It's simply a code word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/there-s-a-natural-antipathy-on-the-part-of-the-voters-to-a/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [The best way to lift people out of poverty and boost wages is to grow our GDP faster. While Trump is open to raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-best-way-to-lift-people-out-of-poverty-and-boost-wages-is-to-grow/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) [Explore all 67 Peter Navarro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) ## More American history quotes > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [John Lane has long been recognized as one of the South's finest poets and memoirists. This debut establishes him as one of our finest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/john-lane-has-long-been-recognized-as-one-of-the-south-s-finest-poets/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We must not falsely teach American history in our schools. We have a law requiring state textbook oversight to guard against frauds like Zinn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/we-must-not-falsely-teach-american-history-in-our-schools-we-have-a/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [“Thanks in part to the rapid mechanization of cotton production in the early 1940s, which ultimately threw millions of farm laborers out of work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/thanks-in-part-to-the-rapid-mechanization-of-cotton-production-in-the/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“dark say: berthenia belle never forget the tongue hid name”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-margaret/dark-say-berthenia-belle-never-forget-the-tongue-hid-name/) [Cathleen Margaret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-margaret/) > [Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/throughout-american-history-many-of-our-social-gains-and-much-of-our/) [Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/) > [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Medicare and Social Security have created the healthiest and most financially secure generation of senior citizens in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-walsh/medicare-and-social-security-have-created-the-healthiest-and-most/) [Jim Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-walsh/) > [The school curriculum today, particularly American history, is a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-school-curriculum-today-particularly-american-history-is-a-shame/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I used to walk out, at night, to the breakwater which divides the end of the harbor form the broad moor of the salt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/i-used-to-walk-out-at-night-to-the-breakwater-which-divides-the-end/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) [Browse all 685 American history quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World Trade Organization. It was the worst political and economic mistake in American history in the last 100 years. China went into the World Trade Organization and agreed to play by certain rules. Instead, they are illegally subsidizing their exports, manipulating their currency, stealing all of our intellectual property, using sweatshops, using pollution havens. What happens is, our businesses and workers are playing that game with two hands tied behind their back.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Navarro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-defining-moment-in-american-economic-history-is-when-bill-clinton/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American history" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-defining-moment-in-american-economic-history-is-when-bill-clinton/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/peter-navarro-10165_american-history_the-defining-moment-in-american-economic_1320982.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The defining moment in American economic history is when Bill Clinton lobbied to get China into the World…” — Peter Navarro", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Navarro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The defining moment in American economic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-defining-moment-in-american-economic-history-is-when-bill-clinton/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/the-defining-moment-in-american-economic-history-is-when-bill-clinton/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```