Comparison of Trade Rivalries
...elop new markets or hold onto those it already possessed. These four factors are just some of the factors that helped German industry grow and rival that of Great Britain. These four factors are all very similar to the Japan-U.S. trade rivalry. Japan like Germany was able to catch up to the U.S. because the U.S. was large and arrogant and refused to believe it could face competition from Japan. Like Britain, U.S. industry believed that they could hold onto markets and would not face competition. British and U.S. industry were startled by the fast rate of growth and industrialization that allowed Germany and Japan to transform themselves quickly into trading rivals. This fast rate of growth also caused friction between both sets of countries. Relations between Germany and Great Britain were damaged as they bickered over markets in particular colonies in Africa . This is similar to the friction between the U.S. and Japan unfair trading practices and closed markets. Both the U.S. and Great Britain in response to losing markets toyed with the idea of economic nationalism and tariffs. As Britain lost markets to Germany many in Britain felt that Britain should adopt tariffs on goods while others known as the free traders believed that a free trade would benefit Britain by creating markets. This split between Tariff Reformers and Free Traders is similar to the split in the U.S. between those in favor of free trade and those opposed to it. Germany's grab for new markets in the 1890's through commercial treaties such as the 1891 treaty with Austria-Hungry is similar t...