That nationalism is a type of collectivism or modern tribalism is illustrated by current phenomena. Foreigners seem to be highly disliked and, in the view of some, “we” should not import from “them” or export to “them”. On the import side, foreigners are hated: foreign producers, foreign governments, or foreign taxpayers. Because they produce goods at a cost so low that “our” producers can’t match. All “our” greedy merchants who import what “our” consumers want are greedy unpatriots. Since the 17th or 18th century, an important aspect of progress has been, or so we might have thought, the suppression of these sentiments, both economically and morally.
On the export side, consider tourism, where a new protectionism appears to be on the rise. Incoming tourists are exports to foreigners from other countries or other regions (and are entered as such in national accounts and trade balances). Tourists, like foreign importers, use “our” resources (capital, labor, land) to meet their demands. Hence, arguments have emerged to restrict tourism. Tourists invade “our” environment and, even if some of “us” want to welcome them into our homes and commercial establishments, they are deprived, at least temporarily, of comforts to which they are not entitled. This will result in damage.
of financial times Report (Eleni Varvitsioti and Barney Jopson, “Greece cracks down on excessive tourism,” September 8, 2024):
Greece has announced a crackdown on short-term vacation rentals and cruise ship traffic as part of a series of measures to curb excessive tourism in the Mediterranean country. …
Following similar restrictions imposed in Spain, Greece has also taken steps to regulate short-term rentals on online platforms such as Airbnb. Mitsotakis announced a one-year ban on new short-term rentals in three areas of Athens. Tourists often begin or end their vacation in the historic Greek capital before moving on to their island destination.
Andreas Chiou, president of the Greek Property Managers Association, said the ban was prompted by pressure from hotel owners.
It seems like “we” shouldn’t let greedy shop owners, restaurant, hotel or Airbnb accommodation owners “us” benefit from tourism. The fact that they are just as much citizens as the locals who are inconvenienced by tourists is ignored by many people, who are accustomed to having governments on their side.
Imagine a government (local, state, or national) posting signs around its jurisdiction warning, “We hate tourists” or “We only sell local here.” Please try it. This is a return to an earlier era of humanity, reminding us of a tribal or collective “us.” These sentiments ignore the ideas so well developed in John Hicks’ book. theory of economic history: The rise of merchants, which began in the city-states of ancient Greece, marked the first stage in the transition from a customary or command society to a market society.
By the way, notice the example of symmetry here.externality” Tourists can be said to create externalities for certain local residents, but locals also create externalities for certain tourists. If there were no locals, many amenities for tourists would be enhanced, such as unspoiled nature, uncrowded beaches and the Acropolis. Private property is a powerful means of internalizing externalities, but in liberal philosophy local residents do not collectively own shopkeepers, private homes, tastes, and freedoms.
While it’s true that travelers incur costs, they reimburse those costs by paying for the resources they use and the things they consume, such as hotels, Airbnb rooms, and restaurants. Only in public places, that is. commonslike locals, they generally do not pay fees. This is a common problem with public property, and few would object to non-discriminatory fees and taxes being imposed on tourists and local residents who use common land. In contrast to special taxes on cruise ships, an increase in general port fees may be justified. A simpler type of problem: Even in public museums, both foreigners and locals generally pay or are required to pay a fee.
In a free market, increased demand for private goods and services, whether by locals or tourists, automatically increases prices and decreases the quantity demanded, resulting in the rationing of scarce amenities. Please note that Place a cap on these prices. In the case of protectionism, as commonly seen in dirigism, discrimination is a proxy for price. In free market societies, such official discrimination can largely be avoided. individual and its autonomous associations and legal entities resolve all disputes through freedom of contract. Collectivism is a modern-day remnant of tribalism, whether rationalized through ideology and the greed of rulers and their supporters, or through special interests that control government. As Friedrich Hayek argued.
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The ideal of protectionism in tourism
