Protectionism is an economic policy that limits trade between nations as a way of protecting a particular nation's domestic economy. This can take many forms. Some examples of protectionist policies are:

1. Tariffs, or taxes on imports
2. Import quotas, which limit how much of a certain good a nation can import
3. Export subsidies, which pay domestic companies to export goods abroad
4. Governments spending their own money on domestic products (preferential spending)