In spite of the relatively small share of agriculture in the economies of the industrialized nations, national agricultural policies continue to provide a major source of domestic and international friction. A special interest attaches to Britain's policies towards agriculture because of her great dependence upon imported food. Since the diversity of British farm output makes generalization hazardous, attention will here be focused upon one major commodity only, wheat.
This paper enquires as to the effectiveness of protection for the domestic wheat grower and of tariff preference for the Commonwealth exporter, as indicated by the shares of the home and overseas suppliers in the domestic market from 1925 to 1960. An estimate of the level of protection is introduced into the discussion largely with the idea of throwing some light upon the achievements, as distinct from the intentions, of the policy-makers for the years subsequent to the return of the wheat trade to private hands, i.e., after 1953.
Before commenting upon the efficacy of protection, some explanation ought to be offered as to why it was introduced when it was. It might be more illuminating, however, to ask the question in another way: viz., why was protection not maintained after the First World War?