For many decades, tariffs have been among the most contested instruments of economic policy, from the post-war industrialisation strategies of East Asia to the neoliberal free trade regimes imposed through the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The question of whether developing countries should protect their industries or adopt unrestricted free trade agreements is critical to debates about economic development. In South Africa, this debate is crucial. The country is confronted with crises of deindustrialisation, chronic mass unemployment, and widening inequality. The adoption of trade liberalisation, as part of South Africa’s embrace…
