Sources used in this document:

Conservative governments, which have become increasingly pro-trade, will often support industries vital to the military, such as steel.

There is also a fear of the encroachment of western or consumerist values. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, Internet access was not available until 1999 because it was felt to be a symbol of western decadence. Several weeks ago, 'Barbie' dolls were banned in the fundamentalist kingdom because they were thought to represent international Jewry. Alternately, McDonald's was forbidden from entering the Israeli market because their food was not considered kosher. Often even in poor countries, the relative quality of imports is suspect. For instance, the Russian government recently questioned the quality of poultry due to the growth hormones that were used in its production. Some societies, such as Finland, wish to put a premium on the price of owning a car in order to discourage pollution.

Still other countries regularly engage in activities that preclude them from being signatories to international treaties that encourage trade. For instance, Norway is one of the few remaining countries in the world that practices commercial whaling. Alternately, many western countries feel that imports will jeopardize social and environmental legislation currently in place.