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The growth of manufacturing protection in 1920s Britain

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  • Brian D. Varian

Abstract

Prior to the Import Duties Act of 1932, an assortment of legislation expanded the scope of manufacturing protection in Britain. This article assesses the magnitude of manufacturing protection before the Import Duties Act and finds that, in 1930, 9% of net manufacturing output occurred in a protected industry. In the late 1920s, protected industries exhibited above‐average growth in labour productivity. However, protection was disproportionately extended to newer manufacturing industries, which presented greater potential for productivity growth. This article concludes that protection did not enhance productivity growth in Britain's manufacturing industries in the late 1920s.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian D. Varian, 2019. "The growth of manufacturing protection in 1920s Britain," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 66(5), pages 703-711, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:66:y:2019:i:5:p:703-711
    DOI: 10.1111/sjpe.12223
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Alan de Bromhead & Alan Fernihough & Markus Lampe & Kevin Hjortshøj O'Rourke, 2019. "When Britain Turned Inward: The Impact of Interwar British Protection," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(2), pages 325-352, February.
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    9. Robert Archibald & David Feldman & Marc Hayford & Carl Pasurka, 2000. "Effective rates of protection and the Fordney-McCumber and Smoot-Hawley Tariff Acts: comment and revised estimates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(9), pages 1223-1226.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brian D. Varian, 2024. "Market integration and a lower-productivity economy: the case of Australian federation and Queensland’s manufacturing sector, 1897–1906," CEH Discussion Papers 06, Centre for Economic History, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    2. David M Higgins & Brian D Varian, 2021. "Britain’s Empire Marketing Board and the failure of soft trade policy, 1926–33 [Bringing another empire alive? The Empire Marketing Board and the construction of Dominion identity, 1926–1933]," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 25(4), pages 780-805.
    3. Brian D. Varian, 2024. "The unavailing origin of Australian protectionism? Victoria's McCulloch Tariff of 1866," CEH Discussion Papers 08, Centre for Economic History, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    4. Brian D. Varian, 2022. "Imperial preference before the Ottawa Agreements: Evidence from New Zealand's Preferential and Reciprocal Trade Act of 1903," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 75(4), pages 1214-1241, November.

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