Beggar-Thy-Neighbor

Categories: Econ, Education

Economic policy intended to help one's own country at the expense of others'.

Petoria, a small island nation, produces flashlights, exclusively. Its neighboring country, Paultopia, makes superior flashlights, along with DVDs, ball bearings, and equestrian apparel. This superiority of quality and breadth of goods often lures consumers from Petoria to Paultopia to splurge on shopping trips, leaving Petoria's flashlight makers empty-handed, and uh...in the dark. To inspire more domestic spending, Petoria jacks up tariffs on Paultopian flashlights to 800%, making them unaffordable for the vast majority of Petorians.

By implementing this beggar-thy-neighbor style policy, Petoria's flashlight industry is boosted at the expense of Paultopia's.

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)