beggar-my-neighbor strategy

noun phrase

Meaning

An economic policy that attempts to solve domestic problems by passing them on to other countries, often leading to retaliation and global instability.

Examples

  • The government was accused of adopting a beggar-my-neighbor strategy by imposing high tariffs on imported goods.
  • Economists warned that a global beggar-my-neighbor strategy would inevitably trigger a destructive trade war.

Synonyms: protectionism, mercantilism, trade war, economic nationalism