Protectionism

noun (uncountable)

/prəˈtɛkʃənɪzəm/

A government policy of shielding domestic industries from foreign competition through tariffs, quotas, and other trade barriers.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Confronted with cheap imports flooding its markets, the government drifted towards protectionism, raising tariff walls to safeguard fledgling domestic manufacturers even at the risk of provoking retaliatory trade barriers and inviting scrutiny under World Trade Organisation norms.

Synonyms

trade protectionismeconomic nationalismisolationismmercantilismautarkyneo-protectionism

Antonyms

free tradeliberalisationglobalisationlaissez-faire

🌱 Word Family

protectionist (n/adj), protect (v), protection (n), protective (adj), protectively (adv)

🔡 Root

French protectionnisme; Latin protegere = to protect; pro- = in front; tegere = to cover; -ism suffix

📜 Etymology

From French protectionnisme (protection + -ism); first attested in English in the 1840s.

🧠 Memory Hook

"Protect" + "-ism": a belief-system built on PROTECTING home industries behind tariff walls, keeping foreign goods out.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Mains 2018 · GS3 · 15 marks — Economy

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Protectionism” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🤝 International Relations 📖 Seen in: International Trade, WTO & Trade Agree...

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