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No matter how compelling the logic of the case for free trade, in fact a wide variety of barriers to free trade do exist.

Tariffs are excise taxes on imported goods; they may be imposed for purposes of rev­enue or protection. Revenue tariffs are usually applied to products which are not produced domestically, for example, tin, coffee, and bananas in the case of the United States. Rates of revenue tariffs are typically modest, and their purpose is to provide the Federal govern­ment with tax revenues. Protective tariffs, on the other hand, are designed to shield domes­tic producers from foreign competition. Although protective tariffs are usually not high enough to prohibit the importation of foreign goods, they put foreign producers at a com­petitive disadvantage in selling in domestic markets.

Import quotas specify the maximum amounts of commodities which may be imported in ^any period of time. Frequently, import quotas are more effective in retarding international

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