Measuring protection over time : revenue and protective products in the 19th century European tariff growth debate

Abstract

This paper shows the relevance of the strong and changing presence of the so-called fiscal products throughout European trade history, the bigger index number problems in periods and countries with higher levels and shares of manufacture tariffs in total imports and the different association between tariffs and growth according to development heterogeneity and the tariff average used. Evidence showed in this paper appear quite contrary to Bairoch traditional hypothesis on the positive role that protection played to foster Continental Europe industrialization before First War World. Conclusions suggests caution in the use of the conventional average tariffs and advises the estimation of alternative manufacture, agrarian and fiscal tariff average by countries as a necessary contribution for the better defined tariff growth debate.