自從一七七六年亞當，斯密(Adam Smith)歌頒自由經濟、反對干預的「國富論」(An Inquiry into Nature and Cause of the Wealth of Nations)問世，人們均信服於憑藉著他所謂的「看不見的手」(the invisible hard)的指引，即可使整個經濟社會保持良好的秩序、經濟活動和諧的運行；而其國際分工說(International Division of Labour)認為每一個參與貿易的國家均可獲益，亦被認為是無可置疑。他的絕對利益說(absolute advantage)經過李嘉圖(D. Ricardo)進一步的推演與修正，建立相對利益說(relative advant age)之後，自由貿易的利益已被視為係顛撲不破的真理。然而自從自由貿易的思想確立迄今，除英國於一八六四年廢除穀物法(Corn Law )，也撤銷了大部份的關稅之後，歐洲大陸國家大約在一八六〇及一八七〇年代實施了局部性且有限度的自由化貿易之外，保護主義一直操縱著世界各國的經濟政策[Kenen,28, Ch. 3]。第二次世界大戰後以來，國際間的貿易自由化運動雖然努力不懈，可是保護氣氛並未稍減；自一九七四年下半年之世界性的經濟不景氣發生之後，各國的保護措施更愈演愈烈。本文主旨就在於討論自由貿易對每個國家究竟有什麼利益？為何要採取保護措施？要如何實現自由貿易?
本文就人為的貿易障礙做概括性的討論，並與自由貿易做福利的比較，約四萬五千字，共分四章，內容大要如下：
第一章討論自由貿易到底有什麼利益，以及其利益實現的假定前提。
第二章為保護貿易政策之分析，分析保護貿易之採行原因、保護貿易之各種措施與保護貿易之代價。
第三章討論近年來保護貿易之演進、促進貿易自由化之過去成果與當前為追求自由貿易的措施，以及加速貿易自由化之可行途徑。
第四章結論，為對本文之彙總摘要。
本文之所以能寫成，有賴恩師張震復教授之指導，定稿之際，他即因勞累之疾―肝病而辭世。回顧其諄諄教誨，一則慨歎於一代經濟碩學之英年早逝；再則惶悚於自己的愚拙、此論文不知是否離其期望太遠。
魯老師傳鼎、周老師宜魁、趙老師捷謙論文口試時的匡正意見，衷心銘感；諸同窗的切磋，亦一併致謝。

1.魯傳鼎著：國際貿易，民國六十六年台北正中書局出版。
2.陶玉其著：關稅稽徵與國際貿易，民國六十年六月財政部稅制會編印。
3.柳復起著：關稅論，民國五十九年十月財政部財稅人員訓練所編印。
4. AlIen, Robert L., “ Integration in Less Developed Areas”, in Finn B. Jensen and Ingo Walter eds., Reading in International Economics Relations, New York : The Ronald Press Company, 1966, pp. 296-310.
5. Anjaria, S. J., “ The MTN and Tariff Reduction”, Finance and Development, December 1977, pp. 25-28.
6. Baldwin, R. E., “The New Welfare Economics and Gain in International Trade”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, February 1952, pp. 91-101.
7.________, Non-tariff distortion of International Trade, London: George Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1971.
8. Bergsten, C. Fred, “The Cost of Import Restritions to American Consumers”, in R. E. Baldwin and J. David Richardson, eds., Trade and Finance, Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1974, pp. 129-42.
9. ________, “ Economic Adjustment to Liberal Trade: A New Approach”, in C. Fred Bergsten, ed., Toward a New World Trade Policy :The Maidenhead Papers, Lexington: D. C. Heath
and Company, 1975,. pp. 285-306.
10. Blackhurst, R., N. Marian and J. Fumir, Trade Liberalization Protectionist and Interdependence Geneva: GATT (GATT Study No. 5), November 1977.
11. Caves, Richard E. and Ronald W. Jones, World Trade and Payment, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1973.
12. Chacholiades, M., The Pure Theory of International Trade, Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company, 1973.
13. Clement, M. O., Richard L. Pfister and Kenneth J. Rothwell, Theoretic Issues in International Economics, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1967.
14. Corden, W. M., Trade Policy and Economic Welfare, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974.
15. Ellsworth., P. T. and J. Clark Leith., The International Economy, New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1975.
16. Ferguson, C. E. and J. P. Gould, Microeconomic, Theory, Homewood, Ill, : Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1975.
17. Grubel, Herbert G., International Economics, Homewood Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1977.
18. Hagen, E. E., “An Economic Justification of Protectionism”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1958, pp. 496-514.
19. Haberler, G., “ Same Problems in The Pure Theory of International Trade”, The Economic Journal, June 1950, pp.223-40.
20. ________, The Theory of International Trade, With Its Applications to Commercial Policy, London: William Hodge and Company, Ltd., 1968.
21. Harter, John J., “ Economists Analyze Threats to Liberal Trading System”, S. Economic Affairs, U. S. Information Service, News Backgrounder, December 13, 1977.
22. Heller, H. Robert, International Trade Theory and Empirical Evidence, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973.
23. International Monetary Fund, IMF Survey, Washington, D. C. : IMF, March 10, 1975.
24.________, IMF Survey, Washington, D. C. : IMF, December 12, 1977.
25.________, IMF Annual Report on Exchange Restrictions, Washington, D. C. : IMF, ( 22nd-29th), 1971- 1978.
26. Johnson, H. G., “ The Cost of Protection and the Scientific Tariff”, The Journal of Political Economy, August 1960, pp. 327-31.
27. ________, “Commercial Policy and the Monetary Crisis of 1971”, F. McFadzean et al., Towards and Open World Economy, London: The Macmillan Press Ltd., 1972, pp. 43-56.
28. Kenen, Peter B., International Economics, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey : Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1971.
29. Kreinin, Mordechai E., International Economics: A Policy Approach, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1975.
30. Leontief W. W., “ The Use of Indifference Curve in the Analysis of foreign Trade”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, May 1933, pp. 493-503.
31. Malmgren, Harald B., International Economic Peacekeeping Phase II, New York: Quadrangle Books, Inc.,1973.
32. Meade, J. E., Trade and Welfare, London: Oxford University Press, 1955.
33. Meier, Gerald M., The International Economics of Development, New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1968.
34. Michaely, M., Theory of Commercial Policy, Deddington, Oxford: Philip Allan Publishers Ltd., 1977.
35. O’Cleireacain, S., “ Adjustment Assistance to Import Competition”, F. McFadzean et al., Towards and Opean World Economy, London: The Macmillan Press Ltd., 1972, pp.137-55.
36. Perkins, J. O. N., International Policy for the World Economy, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, Inc., Publishers,.1969.
37. Root, F. K., International Trade and Investment, Cincinnati, Ohio: South -Western Publishing Co., 1973.
38. Samuelson, Paul A., “ The Gains for International Trade”, Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science, May 1939, in Howard S. Ellis and Lloyd A. Metzler, eds., Reading in the of International Trade, Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1950.
39. ________, “ Social Indifference Curves”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, February 1956, pp. 1-22.
40. Scitovszky, T., “ A Reconsideration of the Theory of Tariffs”, The Review of Economic Studies, Summer, 1942, pp. 89-110.
41. Snider, Delbert A., Introduction to International Economic, Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1975.
42. Södersten, B., International Economics, New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1970.
43. Stern, Robert M., “ The U. S. Tariff and the Efficiency of the U. S. Economy”, American Economic Review, May 1964. pp. 461-70.
44. ________, “Tariffs and Other Measures of Trade Control: A Survey of Recent Development”, Journal of Economic Literature, September 1973, pp. 857-888.
45. ________, The Balance of Payments Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company, 1973.
46. Stolper, W. F. and P. A. Samuelson”, Protection and Real Wages”, Review of Economic Studies, November, 1941; in Jagdish Bhagwati, ed., International Trade, Middlesex:
Penguin Books, Ltd., 1969, pp. 245-68.
47. Vance, C., “Economics: America’s Stake in an Open International Trading System”, Department of State Bulletin, April 1978, pp. 35-7.
48. Viner, J., International Trade and Economic Development, New York: The Algen Press Corp., 1952.
49. Yeager, Leland B., International Monetary Relations: Theory, History and Policy, New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1976.
50. Yeager, Leland B. and David G. Tuerck, Foreign Trade and U. S. Policy :The Case for Free International Trade, New York: Praeger Publishers, Inc., 1976.