Commercial Policy and Imperfect Discrimination by a Foreign Monopolist

This paper examines the effects of commercial policy and the qualit y of imports that are supplied by a multiproduct foreign monopolist. Th e author finds that a specific quota on some imported products leads to upgrading of the quality of imports and enhances national welfare. A specific tariff, which does not lead to a decrease in the varieties of imported products , does not affect the quality of imports and result s in enhanced national welfare. In contrast, an ad valorem tariff leads to lower qualities of imported goods and lowers consumer surplus. A general quota is undesirable since it results in a lower quality of imports and lower national warfare.