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{{about|the economic policy|the card game|Beggar-My-Neighbour}}

'''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. 

== Original application ==⏎
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]].  The policy can be associated with [[mercantilism]] and the resultant barriers to pan-national [[single market]]s.

== Extended application ==⏎
"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.

According to economist [[Joan Robinson]] "beggar they neighbour" policies were widely adopted by major economies during the [[Great depression]] of the 1930s. <ref>{{Cite book
  | author = Dietmar Rothermund
  | title = The Global impact of the Great Depression 1929-1939 
  | year = 1996
  | page = 6-7
  | publisher = Routledge
|isbn = 0415118190 }}</ref>

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.

== Economics use ==
The term appears in the title of a number of works on economics:
* Gower, E.A., ''Beggar My Neighbour! : The Reply to the Rate Economy Ramp'', Assurance Agents' Press, (Manchester), 1932.

== Other uses ==
The term has also been used as the title of a number of literary works:
* [[Emily Gerard|Gerard, Emily]] & Gerard, Dorothea, ''Beggar My Neighbour: A Novel'', W. Blackwood and Sons, (Edinburgh), 1882.
* Drew, Sarah, ''Beggar My Neighbour'', J.M. Ousley & Son, (London), 1922.
* Fielden, Lionel, ''Beggar My Neighbour'', Secker and Warburg, (London), 1943.
* Ridley, Arthur, ''Beggar My Neighbour: A Comedy in Three Acts'', Evans Bros., (London), 1953.
* Macelwee, Patience, ''Beggar My Neighbour'', Hodder and Stoughton, (London), 1956.⏎
⏎
== See also ==
* [[Currency war]]
* [[Protectionism]]
* [[Mercantilism]]
* [[Domestic policy]]
* [[Economic policy]]
* [[Monetary policy]]
* [[International trade]]
* [[Balance of trade]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Economics}}

[[Category:International economics]]


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