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'''Beggar thy neighbour''', or beggar-my-neighbour, is an expression in [[economics]] describing policy that seeks benefits for one country at the expense of others. Such policies attempt to remedy the economic problems in one country by means which tend to worsen the problems of other countries. 

The term was originally devised to characterize policies of trying to cure [[domestic policy|domestic]] [[depression (economics)|depression]] and [[unemployment]] by shifting effective demand away from imports onto domestically produced goods, either through [[tariffs]] and [[Import quota|quotas]] on [[imports]], or by competitive [[devaluation]].  More recently, "beggar thy neighbour" policy has taken the form of reducing domestic [[inflation]] through currency [[appreciation]]. This improves the [[terms of trade]] and thus reduces cost-inflationary pressure in the appreciating country but tends to increase cost inflation in the country's trading partners. The policy can be associated with [[mercantilism]] and the resultant barriers to pan-national [[common market]]s<ref>[http://spikejapan.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/801/ Teshio, Mashike and the Rumoi subprefecture: Of palisades and Christ signs]</ref>The policy can be associated with [[mercantilism]] and the resultant barriers to pan-national [[common market]]s.

"Beggar thy neighbour" strategies of this kind don't apply only to countries: [[overgrazing]] provides another example, where the pursuit by individuals or groups of their own interests leads to problems. This dynamic has been called the "[[tragedy of the commons]]," though it appears as early as the works of Plato and Aristotle.

The phrase is in widespread use, and is used in such publications as ''[[The Economist]]''<ref>[http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8601486 The euro area&apos;s economy | Beggar thy neighbour | Economist.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and ''[[BBC News]]''<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_economy/286761.stm BBC News | The Economy | CAP: Beggar thy neighbour<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. The term presumably originates from the name of the [[Beggar-My-Neighbour]] card game. 

== See also ==
* [[Protectionism]]
* [[Mercantilism]]
* [[Domestic policy]]
* [[Economic policy]]
* [[Monetary policy]]
* [[International trade]]
* [[Balance of trade]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Economics}}

[[Category:International economics]]


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