ABSTRACT
“The Ottomans, in their commercial regulations, adopted the extreme reverse of the Spanish fallacies for enriching and aggrandizing a nation. If Spain determined to admit nothing produced by any other country than her own colonies, Turkey seized upon the fanciful idea of becoming rich, prosperous and mighty, by letting nothing go out of, and to let everything come freely into, her dominions: a very acquisitive legislation, truly. . . . On the other hand, the Turkish Government, in tolerance and hospitality, opened her ports and dominions to the people and merchandise of all countries.” 1 This quotation expresses very well the puzzlement of Europeans, whether protectionists or free traders, at the tariff policy of the governments of the Middle East. On the whole, the latter tended to encourage imports and discourage exports by levying low duties on both but subjecting many export items, especially foodstuffs, to prohibitions, monopolies, or high additional taxes.
