**Introduction** Many countries are returning to tariffs and other protectionist trade policies because governments increasingly view open trade as insufficient to address concerns related to economic security, industrial competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and geopolitical rivalry. Since the late 2010s, trade policy has shifted away from a primarily liberalization-focused model toward one centered on strategic intervention. Tariffs, subsidies, export controls, local content requirements, and investment restrictions are now widely used to protect domestic industries, reduce external dependencies, and strengthen national resilience in an increasingly fragmented global economy. **Contextual background** The post-Cold War period was characterized by expanding trade liberalization, global value chains, and reliance on multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization. However, several developments weakened confidence in globalization-led growth. These include the 2008 global financial crisis, supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions, strategic competition between major powers, and concerns over technological dependence and deindustrialization. At the same time, industrial policy has returned as a central feature of economic strategy. Governments increasingly use trade restrictions and domestic support measures not only for economic objectives, but also for national security, technological leadership, and political stability[1][2]. **Reasons countries are returning to protectionist trade policies** **1.** **Governments are prioritizing economic security and supply chain resilience** Recent disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in highly concentrated global supply chains. Shortages of semiconductors, medical supplies, energy products, and critical minerals demonstrated the risks of excessive dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly in strategically important sectors. As a result, many governments now seek to reduce external dependence through reshoring, friend-shoring, and domestic capacity-building policies. Tariffs and local content requirements are increasingly used to encourage domestic production in industries such as semiconductors, batteries, renewable energy equipment, and pharmaceuticals[3]. Critical minerals and advanced technologies have become particularly sensitive areas because they are essential for defense systems, clean energy technologies, and digital infrastructure. Governments increasingly treat access to these sectors as matters of national security rather than purely commercial activity[4]. **2.** **Industrial policy and strategic competition have intensified** Countries are also returning to protectionism because governments increasingly compete for leadership in high-value industries. Industrial policies now frequently combine subsidies, tax incentives, tariffs, and procurement rules to strengthen domestic firms and secure technological advantage. Competition in sectors such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and clean energy technologies has accelerated the use of protectionist measures. Major economies increasingly support domestic firms while restricting foreign competitors through tariffs, export controls, and investment screening mechanisms[5]. This trend reflects a broader shift toward techno-nationalism, where technological capabilities are viewed as strategic assets linked to economic power and geopolitical influence[6]. **3.** **Political pressures and domestic economic concerns have increased** Protectionist policies are also driven by domestic political pressures. In many advanced economies, trade liberalization has been associated with manufacturing job losses, wage stagnation, and regional economic decline. These concerns contributed to growing political support for policies aimed at protecting domestic industries and workers. Tariffs are often politically attractive because they signal government action against perceived unfair competition, particularly in industries facing import pressure. Governments also use protectionist measures to respond to concerns about unfair trade practices, industrial subsidies, dumping, and state-supported overcapacity[7]. In emerging economies, protectionist measures are often used to promote industrialization, protect infant industries, and reduce vulnerability to external economic shocks. **4.** **Weakening multilateral trade governance has enabled greater unilateralism** The weakening of multilateral trade governance has further contributed to the rise of protectionism. The dispute settlement challenges within the World Trade Organization and difficulties in updating global trade rules have reduced constraints on unilateral trade measures. WTO monitoring reports show a sustained increase in tariffs, subsidies, and trade-restrictive measures since 2020[8]. As governments increasingly bypass multilateral mechanisms in favor of bilateral arrangements or unilateral actions, trade policy has become more fragmented and strategically oriented. This environment encourages reciprocal protectionism, where countries respond to foreign subsidies or tariffs with their own interventionist policies, further accelerating the shift away from liberalized trade frameworks[9]. **Conclusion** The return to tariffs and protectionist trade policies reflects a broader transformation in the global economy. Governments increasingly view trade policy as a tool for managing strategic competition, strengthening domestic industry, protecting national security, and reducing economic vulnerabilities. Supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, technological rivalry, and domestic political pressures have all contributed to the expansion of interventionist trade measures. While these policies may improve resilience or support selected industries in the short term, they also risk fragmenting global trade, increasing production costs, and weakening multilateral trade cooperation. The growing use of protectionist measures therefore highlights the tension between economic efficiency, national security, and strategic autonomy in the contemporary global trading system.
