Protectionism policy is the state protection in the economic sphere. It is manifested by protecting the internal market of the country from the appearance of foreign goods on it. Protectionist policies also include the promotion of export of competitive goods to foreign markets. The objective of this form of state patronage is to stimulate the development of the state economy, protect it from foreign competition with the help of non-tariff and tariff regulation.
The increasing globalization of the world makes it necessary to develop an adequate protectionism policy, thereby increasing the competitiveness of Russian goods in the conditions of national and international markets. The manifestation of the political activity of the state in certain areas will enable domestic producers to quickly and most effectively adapt to the conditions of global economic development in the post-crisis period.
It should be noted that in various historical periods, the economic policy of the Russian state tended to both free trade and protectionism. At the same time, there was no clear adoption of any of the extreme forms. At the same time, an absolutely open economy, with unlimited commodity circulation, the movement of technology, labor and capital across national borders, is not inherent in any state.
For many centuries, political and economic figures have been arguing about what is better - protectionism policy, which allows domestic production to develop, or free trade, which allows direct comparison of international and national costs of industry.
The international economy of the 1950s-60s was characterized by liberalization and a commitment to freedom in foreign trade. With the onset of the 1970s, another trend has been noted in which protectionism policies are mainly used. States from each other began to gradually fence themselves off, while using increasingly sophisticated tariff, and especially non-tariff barriers. Thus, the protection of its domestic market from foreign competition was carried out.
Protectionism policy can be aimed at the continuous protection of domestic strategic industries from foreign competition. This, in turn, ensures the country's invulnerability in conditions of hostilities.
The fencing of the domestic market may be temporary. As a rule, this condition applies to newly created economic sectors. Temporary measures can be lifted to achieve the production areas of the necessary competitiveness with similar areas of other states.
The state may apply protectionism as a response to similar measures protecting the economy in other countries.
Economic measures of the state to protect its domestic market can take several forms:
- sectoral form (a separate industry is protected);
- selective form (protection from a particular state or product is carried out);
- collective form (protection is carried out by several united countries);
- latent form (use in the protection of non-customs methods).
It should be noted that the Russian economy today has low competitiveness in comparison with the economies of other states. In this regard, it is highly probable that the Russian state may occupy a place in the developing global economy that weakly reflects its true potential, both scientific, technical and natural-resource. Thus, it is likely that the country will turn into a simple supplier of resources for countries that are more industrialized. However, the developmentist policy in Russia may influence the development of this process.
