While tariff levels have been falling over the past several decades, nontariff barriers have been used

Question

While tariff levels have been falling over the past several decades, nontariff barriers have been used _______.

a. increasingly

b. sparingly

c. decreasingly

d. not at all

Answer 1

a.

Since tariffs were high before, there was no need for non-tariff barriers.  Now, there are all sorts of non-tariff barriers, some justified, some not, and many somewhere in between.

Answer 2

b. sparingly

(In most cases these barriers have political base).

"Increasingly" is not because it would mean substitution of tariff barriers by non-tariff - thus there would be not any benefits from international trade (comparative advantage, specialization, economies of scale, etc.) - though of course depends on net effects.

But "Edaphos" arguments of course have some rationality basis.