Economics, like the economy, cannot thrive without a little creative destruction. This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Barriers to ...

There are only so many barriers to entry: high entry costs, protected intellectual property, large economies of scale, government regulation, and network economies pretty much cover the possibilities.

An open market is an economic system with no barriers to free market activity. Barriers to free market activity include tariffs, taxes, licensing requirements or subsidies.

Barriers to entry A rise in protection would worsen the already grim outlook for world trade. ... Overlaying the worsening economic outlook is the lingering threat of protectionism, ...