He showed that the equilibrium is an optimum if you use incredibly simple minded examples which are a large number of galaxy-widths away from any kind of political or economic reality.

The Invisible Handers took his argument and turned it into a crusade against the heathen savages who were - and are - badly in need of education, uplift and taming.

I'm not sure Ricardo was ever really about trade - possibly upon a time, perhaps, but certainly not for a long while.