Why the world's "freeest" economies aren't so free.

[Dinner]

Some did and some didn't. The UK pushed free trade every strongly from 1850 on ward and did have completely free trade with 1/4 of the world and 1/3 of the population. Even outside countries like the US exported huge amounts of both finished goods and raw materials to the British Empire so that country did successfully industrialize while using a free trade model. The US had huge tarrifs as did Japan and France.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Some did and some didn't. The UK pushed free trade every strongly from 1850

Yes... 1850, when their empire had already been established and they ruled over 1/3 of the world. World powers only dip into free trade when they have sufficiently stacked the odds in their favour.

[VetLegion]

Japan actually had low tariffs, because US forced them down with battleships

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Some did and some didn't. The UK pushed free trade every strongly from 1850 on ward and did have completely free trade with 1/4 of the world and 1/3 of the population. Even outside countries like the US exported huge amounts of both finished goods and raw materials to the British Empire so that country did successfully industrialize while using a free trade model. The US had huge tarrifs as did Japan and France.

The UK had tariffs. They pushed for free trade on specific goods that gave them an advantage.

[General Ludd]

If you want exmples of economies that have been consistently the most free throughout history, look to what is now the third world.