The Myth That Foreigners Pay Our Tariffs

Source: The Daily Economy
by Donald J Boudreaux

“The answer to the question ‘Who pays the cost of tariffs?’ is obviously important. If the costs of all tariffs were paid exclusively by foreigners, with no negative consequences suffered by citizens of the country that imposes the tariffs, the case for a policy of free trade would be far weaker than if tariffs inflict some damage on the domestic economy. Ethical objections to tariffs would still be available, but the conventional economic case against protective tariffs would be null and void, as that case focuses almost exclusively on the economic welfare of citizens of the home country. Yet the costs of tariffs are always shared by buyers and sellers of tariffed goods and services.” (02/03/26)

https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/the-myth-that-foreigners-pay-our-tariffs/