French tariff of 1885
The French tariff of 1885 was a protectionist law passed by the National Assembly of the French Third Republic that imposed tariffs. It became law on 28 March 1885.[1][2]
Under the 1881 tariff, wheat was subject to a duty of 0.60 francs per 100kg.[3] A combination of foreign competition and bad harvests had caused a growth in grain imports since 1879.[4][5] Grain prices declined from 22 francs per hectoliter in 1881 to 16 francs in 1885.[6] The Société des agriculteurs de France and the Association de l'industrie française combined to pressure the government into increasing tariffs.[7] The agriculturists held a series of national agricultural conventions to rally farmers to protection, beginning in November 1884.[8] The farmers requested a duty of 5 francs. The Minister of Agriculture, Jules Méline, was supportive but the Chamber of Deputies voted for a duty of 3 francs.[9]
Rates[edit]
The duty on wheat was raised to 3 francs per 100kg; on oats and barley 1.50 francs; on flour 6 francs; on beef and pork 7 francs; on bullocks 25 francs per head; on cows 12 francs per head and on pigs 6 francs per head.[10] The duties on butter, cheese, eggs and wine remained unchanged from 1881.[11]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- Percy Ashley, Modern Tariff History: Germany–United States–France (New York: Howard Fertig, 1970).
- Paul Bairoch, 'European trade policy, 1815-1914', in Peter Mathias and Sidney Pollard (eds.), The Cambridge Economic History of Europe, Volume VIII: The Industrial Economies: The Development of Economic and Social Policies (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), pp. 1-160.
- Michael Stephen Smith, Tariff Reform in France, 1860-1900 (London: Cornell University Press, 1980).
- Michael Tracy, Government and Agriculture in Western Europe, 1880–1988 (London: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1989).