Source: EconLog
by Scott Sumner
“In the US, national security has been cited by proponents of protectionism for a wide variety of products, ranging from computer chips to automobiles to ship building. But when it comes to foreign countries, our protectionists often have a blind spot. They cannot even imagine that any other country might also have valid national security concerns. ‘Everyone has their reasons’ is a famous line from the classic French film Rules of the Game. I was reminded of this line when I read a Bloomberg article about Swiss trade policy. Switzerland eliminated all tariffs on manufactured goods, but continues to protect its agricultural industry …” (06/01/25)