The Ramifications of Tariffs

[CAG_007]

So many countries, particularly Great Britain, can make hoards of money on tariffs, even in the crucial (and money-scarce) early stages of the game. I know that historically, Britain maintained a very free trade-oriented tariff policy for much of the time period covered in the game (something the United States did not, much to the South's frustration).

I want to know how others here use tariffs, and the rewards/repercussions of their uses.

Thanks!

 

[unmerged(59736)]

I use free trade so my capitalis can build rail roads for me
Proctetism is good in war times to pay for the military.

 

[OHgamer]

Tariffs will raise consciousness, so if you are trying to play as a political system where consciousness can be a massive threat to stability, using excessively high tariffs can be a thread.

I've also found that high tariff rates have an impact on issues, in that over time the percent of POPs who come to support laissez-faire (which caps tariffs) grows. So there is a balancing act you need to heed, esp if you choose issue over ideology for voting patterns late in game. If you come to depend on high tariffs for your income, you may very well end up having pro-laissez-faire politicians come to power that will cap the amount of tariffs you can charge.

 

[ArneHD]

Tariffs will raise consciousness, so if you are trying to play as a political system where consciousness can be a massive threat to stability, using excessively high tariffs can be a thread.

I've also found that high tariff rates have an impact on issues, in that over time the percent of POPs who come to support laissez-faire (which caps tariffs) grows. So there is a balancing act you need to heed, esp if you choose issue over ideology for voting patterns late in game. If you come to depend on high tariffs for your income, you may very well end up having pro-laissez-faire politicians come to power that will cap the amount of tariffs you can charge.

I thought that Tariffs did not directly increase consciousness, and as such was preferable to taxes that do.

Oh and has anyone fixed the miss reporting of tariff income? It's a bit annoying.

 

[OHgamer]

I thought that Tariffs did not directly increase consciousness, and as such was preferable to taxes that do..

No. Tariffs do not increase militancy, while taxes below 33% decrease militancy (by -0.005 per percent per year. 0% tax rate gives -0.165 MIL/year reduction for POPs in that tax bracket). So if you want to help make your POPs calm, low taxes balanced by moderate tariffs is one thing that can be done.

Yes there is the tradeoff to consciousness, but a low-MIL/high CON POP is preferable for purposes of stability than a high MIL POP with either Low or high CON.

 

[JoeGiavani]

I only see "tariffs" affecting my POPs in certain games...sometimes it's listed under CON, sometimes it's not mentioned at all.
While I'm on the subject, it should be much easier to lower the CON of Craftsmen. Labourers and farmers you can just clergy spam, but Craftsmen will only go down about -0.1 a year with zero tax and full social spending.

 

[unmerged(20628)]

I only see "tariffs" affecting my POPs in certain games...sometimes it's listed under CON, sometimes it's not mentioned at all.
While I'm on the subject, it should be much easier to lower the CON of Craftsmen. Labourers and farmers you can just clergy spam, but Craftsmen will only go down about -0.1 a year with zero tax and full social spending.

I got the impression tariffs only raise CON when the pop has free trade as primary or secondary issue?

 

[Fordus]

No. Tariffs do not increase militancy

I might be wrong, but unless you're producing enough live/everyday/luxury goods, tariffs should have indirect effects to militancy. Although technicly failing to fullfill pops needs doesn't actually raise the militancy, I've yet to see pop thats gaining militancy when all needs are fullfilled And tariffs raise the cost of getting needed goods unless you're producing it yourself.

But don't take me too seriously, it's been few years when I checked these things and it's quite possible that I've mixed things up. I actually thought that low taxes would lower concience instead of militancy But then again, I can't remember when I last had taxes below 33% :rofl:

 

[Gwalcmai]

I've also found that high tariff rates have an impact on issues, in that over time the percent of POPs who come to support laissez-faire (which caps tariffs) grows.

Isn't it the free trade ideology which caps tariffs? I'd think a laissez-faire + protectionist party would be able to set tariffs as high as an intervantionist + protectionist one.

 

[OHgamer]

I might be wrong, but unless you're producing enough live/everyday/luxury goods, tariffs should have indirect effects to militancy. Although technicly failing to fullfill pops needs doesn't actually raise the militancy, I've yet to see pop thats gaining militancy when all needs are fullfilled And tariffs raise the cost of getting needed goods unless you're producing it yourself.

But don't take me too seriously, it's been few years when I checked these things and it's quite possible that I've mixed things up. I actually thought that low taxes would lower concience instead of militancy But then again, I can't remember when I last had taxes below 33% :rofl:

AFAIK tariffs do not produce militancy in and of themselves.

Now in regards to needs, if a POP can fill their everyday and luxury needs they get a constant -0.05 and -0.03 decrease in yearly MIL, so in a sense if you have tariffs high enough that your POPs can't get all their everyday and luxury needs, you are costing yourself an additional up to -0.08/year reduction in militancy for your POPs.

The broader point I would make is that POP militancy as a whole is a pain to try and reduce if it gets above critical levels, it can take decades to work back down. The best way to deal with militancy is don't let militancy get high in the first place. All POPs start with 5 militancy. Above 7 MIL and the threat of revolt risk rises. So right from the get go from a militancy management standpoint it's best (if possible with the nation you are playing) to set yourself a limited budget with low taxes and moderate to high tariffs. Yes you do risk raising consciousness, but as I said before I'd much rather have to deal with low MIL, high CON pops than POPs with high MIL regardless of their consciousness.

And yes I do realize that this strategy may not provide the kind of income at start that will allow players to race to #1 in the world or go on a conquering spree. As I've said many times though, Victoria is designed as a marathon, not a sprint, and being #1 only matters at the very last day of the game. Building up economic, military power slowly while keeping your pops calm and satiated will make it much less likely one will have to deal with massive internal revolts later in game. In Victoria, you can not lord over your POPs, unless you are willing to use the whip lavishly. Look at what your POPs are saying with what's causing them increased militancy, and move slowly but surely towards developing an advanced economy with a military to match, and you'll likely find that the lash is not needed for most parts of the game (nationalism being an exception if you do take over other lands, and which produces its own revolt risk without reference to Militancy).

 

[unmerged(48056)]

Why does it matter?
Does anyone have 10%, 20% or 50% of their population being capitalist?


Sure Tariffs might raise consciousness, but for how much of the population? I've seen the modifier happen on capitalist and aristocrats. And I don't think I've ever had more than 5% of my population being capitalists.
I've made it to 1890 with less than 10 plurality.


I'm not sure how it is taught in Europe or the US. But in Canadian history, we're taught that ''Tariffs'' were a good thing, because it encouraged branch plants and gave our government the funding in the 1880's to build the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

 

[Jingles]

I greatly prefer tariffs to taxes. So, I usually have around 25% taxes with a rather high tariff in normal periods. However, if I am aiming for explosive economic growth, then I will lower my tariffs and make up the revenue with increased taxes on the lower classes.

 

[Gwalcmai]

Why does it matter?
Does anyone have 10%, 20% or 50% of their population being capitalist?

Sure Tariffs might raise consciousness, but for how much of the population? I've seen the modifier happen on capitalist and aristocrats. And I don't think I've ever had more than 5% of my population being capitalists.

IIRC, the tariff modifier is applied to pops with free trade ideology, it doesn't matter what class they're from. So if your population is heavily free trade-ist, you might have the consciousness of quite a few pops raising from having high tariffs.

The advantage of tariffs is that you're only taxing the money your pops spend, instead of taxing all their income. Any part of their income they might be saving remains free of tax (of course, by taxing what they spend, you reduce the amount they have left over when they're done filling their needs...).

 

[unmerged(90982)]

Do tarriffs have anything to do with corruption in your nation, if not what really does?

 

[Monkii-sama]

I always pump up the tariffs to max, I usually have 0% on rich people anyway so it doesn't effect the capitalists much and since tariffs are much more effective than taxes in the early game, I see no reason to not shift income over from taxes to tariffs.