The standard economic argument against tariffs is that, by eliminating foreign competition, they simply raise prices for consumers. While true, this argument barely scratches the surface of the problem and overlooks a critical reality: tariffs and protectionist policies do far more than just raise prices—they block the entrepreneurial discovery process that is essential for progress.The problem with this perspective is that it is rooted in a static view of competition, drawn from mainstream economic models of perfect competition. This model defines competition as a market with numerous producers selling homogeneous goods, where none have any influence over price. Firms are seen as mere price takers, responding to market conditions rather than actively shaping them. In this framework,
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