Name: 什麼是關稅及其作用 (What Are TARIFFS And Do They Work)
Uploaded: 2025-04-07T06:33:23.000Z
Duration: 12 min 51 s

Tariffs, the term has become completely impossible to avoid in the news lately, and you're not alone if it's left you scratching your head.

關稅，這個詞在最近的新聞中已經完全無法迴避，如果它讓你撓頭，你並不孤單。

And how will the US's potential new tariff platform affect you in your day-to-day life?

美國潛在的新關稅平臺會對您的日常生活產生什麼影響？

You don't need a degree in economics to understand all this, you just need to sit back and pay attention to this episode of The Infographics Show and you'll understand exactly how all of this will impact your wallet.

你不需要經濟學學位就能理解這一切，你只需要坐下來關注本期《資訊圖表秀》，就會明白這一切將對你的錢包產生怎樣的影響。

Thankfully, it's not actually that complicated.

值得慶幸的是，這其實並不複雜。

Tariffs are a special tax placed on imported goods from other countries.

關稅是對從其他國家進口的商品徵收的一種特別稅。

They're added directly to the price of goods as the import takes place.

它們在進口時直接計入商品價格。

But what does that mean in practical terms?

Let's say you're in the market for a new car.

比方說，您正在購買一輛新車。

You can't decide whether you want a BMW imported straight from Germany, or a Chrysler right from here in the US of A. The prices of the cars themselves are competitive, but why do you end up paying more for the imported Beemer?

你無法決定是要一輛直接從德國進口的寶馬，還是要一輛從美國本土進口的克萊斯勒。汽車本身的價格是有競爭力的，但為什麼你最終要為進口的Beamer(BMW車的簡稱)支付更多的錢呢？

It might be because of a tariff on imported cars.

可能是因為對進口汽車徵收關稅。

But maybe we need to think a little bit bigger than that.

但也許我們需要想得更遠一點。

Maybe you're a company based in Silicon Valley, ready to create the next big thing in tech.

也許你是一家位於硅谷的公司，準備創造下一個科技領域的大事件。

But to do this, you're probably going to need microprocessors.

但要做到這一點，你可能需要微處理器。

They're required for everything from smartphones to washing machines, after all.

畢竟，從智能手機到洗衣機都需要它們。

Taiwan isn't just an island in the Pacific, it's the microchip capital of the world, responsible for over a third of all global production.

臺灣不僅僅是太平洋上的一個小島，它還是世界微芯片之都，生產的微芯片佔全球總產量的三分之一以上。

But if there's a tariff on tech from outside the US, the costs might rise so high that your tech company will need to start exploring deals to build microchips right here in the

但是，如果對來自美國以外的技術徵收關稅，成本可能會大幅上升，以至於您的科技公司需要開始探索在美國本土製造微芯片的交易。

This is how tariffs can affect not only whole products made outside the US, like the BMW, but items manufactured in the US that are made from parts abroad, like the ambitions of our tech company.

這就是關稅不僅會影響美國以外製造的整件產品（如寶馬汽車），也會影響美國製造的由國外零部件製成的產品（如我們科技公司的雄心壯志）。

Now let's take a closer look at why countries use tariffs, because this is crucial to understanding why a government might want to put them in place.

現在，讓我們來仔細看看各國為什麼要使用關稅，因為這對於理解政府為什麼要徵收關稅至關重要。

There are three reasons why a government might choose to impose a tariff.

政府選擇徵收關稅有三個原因。

Revenue, protecting domestic businesses, and as a political incentive against another country.

收入、保護國內企業，以及作為對另一個國家的政治激勵。

Revenue is the most straightforward of the three.

The government wants to collect taxes to fund its own initiatives, so a higher tax on imported goods makes for more government revenue.

政府希望通過徵稅來為自己的舉措提供資金，是以對進口商品徵收更高的稅款可以增加政府收入。

Especially if the tariffs aren't high enough to force companies to shift to US-based production.

特別是如果關稅還沒有高到足以迫使企業轉向美國生產的地步。

But if the taxes are severe enough that domestic companies consider a change, then the tariff might have been imposed to help protect domestic workers and manufacturers.

但是，如果徵稅的嚴厲程度足以讓國內公司考慮改變，那麼徵收關稅可能是為了幫助保護國內工人和製造商。

The rise of economic globalization has led to a lot of US industries, from tech to textiles, outsourcing their manufacturing work to other countries, often in Asia.

經濟全球化的興起導致美國從科技到紡織等眾多行業將製造工作外包給其他國家，通常是亞洲國家。

This not only encourages unethical labor practices like sweatshops to keep the manufacturing costs low, it also ends up affecting workers and companies in the US.

這不僅助長了血汗工廠等不道德的勞動行為，以保持較低的製造成本，而且最終影響到美國的工人和公司。

Take for example the automotive industry that was once the lifeblood of Detroit, Michigan.

以汽車工業為例，它曾是密歇根州底特律市的命脈。

Outsourcing automotive manufacturing, the move toward automation, and the increasing popularity of foreign cars moving into the US auto market had a ruinous effect on D-Town.

汽車製造業的外包、自動化的發展，以及外國汽車越來越多地進入美國汽車市場，都對 D 鎮產生了破壞性影響。

Theoretically, imposing stronger tariffs would have helped both companies and consumers support domestic automakers, and prevent their jobs from being outsourced overseas.

從理論上講，徵收更高的關稅將有助於公司和消費者支持國內汽車製造商，並防止他們的工作被外包給海外。

And then there's the strategic political element.

Tariffs might be a tool to help address a trade imbalance, also known as a trade deficit.

關稅可能是幫助解決貿易失衡（也稱為貿易逆差）的一種工具。

This is a situation where a company is importing more than it's exporting, meaning it's perhaps built in over-reliance on foreign goods.

在這種情況下，公司的進口量大於出口量，這意味著公司可能過度依賴外國商品。

However, trade deficits aren't necessarily a terrible thing.

然而，貿易逆差並不一定是件壞事。

The US has actually run on a trade deficit since the 1970s, and the impacts of this rarely have a considerable effect against the average consumer.

實際上，自 20 世紀 70 年代以來，美國一直處於貿易逆差狀態，而貿易逆差的影響很少對普通消費者產生重大影響。

But still, if a government wants to address a trade deficit manually, then tariffs are a pretty good start.

但是，如果政府想手動解決貿易逆差問題，關稅仍然是一個很好的開始。

Making it more costly and inconvenient to import parts and goods encourages consumers to shop local when they can, giving exports a chance to keep up while imports falter.

如果進口零部件和商品的成本更高、更不方便，就會鼓勵消費者儘可能在在地購物，從而使出口有機會跟上進口的步伐。

But this is an internal political strategy.

What if you want to use tariffs to affect other countries with economic leverage?

如果你想用關稅來影響其他國家的經濟槓桿，怎麼辦？

Tariffs can be used punitively, somewhat like a less severe approach to an economic sanction where trade with a sanctioned country is outright forbidden.

關稅可以是懲罰性的，有點像一種不太嚴厲的經濟制裁，即完全禁止與被制裁國家進行貿易。

Imposing tariffs against a particular country's imported goods can hurt them economically, and this can be used as a bargaining chip for wider trade or political negotiations.

對某個國家的進口商品徵收關稅會對其造成經濟損失，這可以作為更廣泛的貿易或政治談判的籌碼。

We've often seen this between the US and China from 2018 to 2020.

從 2018 年到 2020 年，我們經常看到中美之間出現這種情況。

So that is what a tariff is, and a few reasons why a country might use them.

這就是關稅，以及一個國家使用關稅的幾個原因。

But there are a few much more serious and important details we need to get into now.

但是，我們現在需要了解一些更為嚴肅和重要的細節。

Who do the extra costs get passed on to, and how might some of the planned tariffs we're seeing in the news right now affect your wallet?

額外的成本會轉嫁給誰？我們現在看到的一些關稅計劃會對您的錢包產生什麼影響？

Let's look at two different types of tariff and how they work.

讓我們來看看兩種不同類型的關稅及其運作方式。

This is a fixed extra fee applied to an import, which will stay the same regardless of how much that import costs.

這是適用於進口的固定額外費用，無論進口成本多少，該費用都將保持不變。

Let's return to your BMW you're thinking about importing.

讓我們回到您正在考慮進口的寶馬車。

If the government imposes a $2,000 specific tariff on auto products from Germany, you'll be paying $2,000 whether you're buying a $40,000 BMW X1 xDrive28i SUV or a $120,000

如果政府對來自德國的汽車產品徵收 2,000 美元的特定關稅，那麼無論您購買的是價值 40,000 美元的寶馬 X1 xDrive28i SUV 還是價值 120,000 美元的寶馬 X1 xDrive28i SUV，您都要支付 2,000 美元的關稅。

Then there's the other type, ad valorem tariffs.

These added costs are expressed as a percentage of the value of goods.

這些附加成本以貨物價值的百分比表示。

For example, a 10% tariff on fruits and vegetables grocery companies import from abroad, keeping the tariffs proportional to the specific goods.

例如，對雜貨店從國外進口的水果和蔬菜徵收 10%的關稅，使關稅與具體商品保持一定比例。

At first glance, tariffs might seem like a win-win.

乍一看，關稅似乎是一個雙贏的方案。

They protect local jobs and reduce dependence on foreign economies.

它們保護在地就業，減少對外國經濟的依賴。

But the reality is, tariffs can have a hidden side.

但實際上，關稅也有不為人知的一面。

Despite their good intentions, they often come with unintended consequences that can ripple through industries, raising costs and impacting consumers in ways we don't always expect.

儘管出發點是好的，但它們往往會帶來意想不到的後果，這些後果可能會波及各個行業，以我們並不總是預料到的方式提高成本並影響消費者。

One of these consequences is making domestic industries worse.

這些後果之一就是使國內產業雪上加霜。

Without the competition of international trade keeping them on their toes, domestic companies might become an oligopoly, less accountable to the demands of their customers.

如果沒有國際貿易的競爭，國內公司可能會成為寡頭壟斷，對客戶的要求不那麼負責。

After all, it's not like they can just go shop somewhere else.

畢竟，他們又不能隨便去別的地方購物。

Less competition can also have another nasty effect for consumers.

競爭的減少也會給消費者帶來另一種糟糕的影響。

Without competition, no competitive pricing, meaning that consumers don't even end up saving money.

沒有競爭，就沒有有競爭力的價格，這意味著消費者最終甚至連錢都省不下來。

On an international scale, like any political strategy, tariffs as a means to exert economic leverage on other countries could backfire.

在國際範圍內，與任何政治戰略一樣，以關稅為手段對其他國家施加經濟槓桿可能會適得其反。

Rather than getting the concessions they want, the other party might just impose tariffs right back in retaliation, resulting in a trade war that ultimately just hurts both parties at once.

另一方非但不會得到他們想要的讓步，反而可能會直接加徵關稅作為報復，導致貿易戰最終只會同時傷害雙方。

We saw this again from 2018 to 2020, when the US imposed heavy tariffs against goods from EU member states and China.

2018 年至 2020 年，當美國對歐盟成員國和中國的商品徵收高額關稅時，我們再次看到了這一點。

This resulted in a number of retaliatory tariffs against US products from bourbon to Harley

這導致對美國產品（從波本威士忌到哈雷）徵收一系列報復性關稅。

But what does getting hurt by a tariff actually mean?

但是，被關稅傷害究竟意味著什麼？

To answer that question, we need to ask ourselves another.

要回答這個問題，我們需要問自己另一個問題。

When tariffs get imposed on goods, who actually ends up footing the bill?

當對商品徵收關稅時，誰會最終買單？

That's right, it's a huge oversight to think that the country exporting goods ends up paying extra.

沒錯，認為出口商品的國家最終要支付額外費用是一個巨大的疏忽。

The purpose of tariffs is to make foreign goods more expensive for you, the consumer.

關稅的目的是讓外國商品對你--消費者來說更加昂貴。

It's a way to disincentivize you from buying those foreign goods, and instead shopping domestically.

這是一種抑制你購買外國商品，轉而在國內購物的方法。

Now this sounds like a pretty simple plan in an ideal world, but a quick look out your window and at your bank account reveals none of us live in an ideal world.

在理想的世界裡，這聽起來是個非常簡單的計劃，但只要看看窗外和你的銀行賬戶，就會發現我們都不是生活在理想的世界裡。

Lower income consumers are often the ones most impacted by tariffs.

低收入消費者往往是受關稅影響最大的群體。

They're already working with more limited options for where they can shop for basic necessities, including everything from food to bottled water to toilet paper.

他們在購買食品、瓶裝水、衛生紙等基本生活必需品時，已經面臨更多的選擇限制。

If the more affordable foreign goods end up being made more expensive by tariffs, people without much money to spare will end up paying more either way.

如果價格更實惠的外國商品最終因關稅而變得更貴，那麼沒有太多閒錢的人最終將支付更多的錢。

You might think that small businesses would benefit from a rise in tariffs compared to huge multinational companies that heavily invested in international manufacturing.

你可能會認為，與在國際製造領域投入巨資的大型跨國公司相比，小企業會從關稅上漲中受益。

Well, the truth isn't actually that simple.

In our modern, globalized economy, small businesses may just be as likely to benefit from imported goods and parts.

在我們全球化的現代經濟中，小企業可能同樣受益於進口商品和零部件。

Without the same resources as their larger counterparts, a sudden rise in tariffs might throw their business into disarray.

由於沒有與大型企業相同的資源，關稅的突然上漲可能會使它們的業務陷入混亂。

Tariffs might sound simple in theory, but in practice, the gap between their intended benefits and the actual impact can be significant.

關稅在理論上聽起來可能很簡單，但在實踐中，其預期效益與實際影響之間的差距可能很大。

We've already discussed the theory at length here, but let's take a look at the practice for consumers and businesses.

我們在這裡已經詳細討論了理論，下面讓我們來看看消費者和企業的實踐。

For consumers, a sudden spike in the price of imported goods can feel like inflation with no escape.

對於消費者來說，進口商品價格的突然飆升會讓他們感覺通貨膨脹無處可逃。

In regions of the US that are heavily reliant on these imports, they're often left footing the bill if domestic alternatives aren't already available.

在嚴重依賴這些進口產品的美國地區，如果沒有國內替代品，他們往往只能自己買單。

Without the infrastructures to support replacements, many are simply forced to absorb these higher costs.

由於沒有支持替換的基礎設施，許多人只能被迫承擔這些更高的成本。

And what about the businesses that need to acclimate to a high tariff world?

那麼，需要適應高關稅世界的企業呢？