Protection is a series of measures taken by a country to ensure that one of its industries is still able to produce income. The most common measure taken is the imposing of tariffs on imported goods. This means that if there is a 25% tariff then a home grown company will effectively have 4/3 times as much to spend on the production of a similar good. The reason for protection is to ensure the survival of certain industries that are not operating at a competitive level at the moment, so that they may be competitive in the future.
The most commonly protected industries are infant industries, where without protection an industry will never be able to establish itself in a world market, and senile industries, which have been useful in the past but now are easily being undercut from abroad. Thus industries at both ends of their lives need protection if they are to survive. Without infant protection of industry it takes a truly exceptional company to be able to successfully start up.
Protection of agriculture in advanced countries is likely to occur because the demand for homegrown food is not growing at a sufficient rate to satisfy farmers. Imported food cuts even more into their livelihood, and so protection is introduced so that they will still make a living. In a way, this is a form of senile industry protection.
Album: Protection Artist: Massive Attack Label: Circa Records Limited Year: 1994 Rating: 5/5 Summary: Beautifully understated, emotionally engaging, atmospheric.
I really like this album in the same way I really like Leftfield's album Leftism: it takes reggae and dub sensibilities - mostly a deep bass that envelopes you, coupled with generous use of the delay effect - and updates them to a mid-nineties style that still sounds great.
Another similarity that Massive Attack have to Leftfield is that they acknowledge the merits of songs over instrumental music without tying themselves to a single vocalist. This frees both bands to pick and choose from a variety of talented singers to bring a diverse range of vocals to their albums, and Protection is no exception.
In contrast to Leftism, however, this is much more downtempo, laid back and atmospheric. There are no pounding house beats - gentle sounding drum machines like the CR-78 get more of a workout than the more imposing TR-909 - and the synthesisers are used mostly to make shimmering pads, strings and deep bass. While this makes Protection excellent at providing ambience to a room, it's still got a lot of sustenance to offer anyone who'll sit down and listen to it with their full concentration.
Protection is a great example of how a little restraint can have a big emotional impact. From the piano melodies in Weather Storm and Heat Miser to the single note acid line in the background of the title track, this sounds like an album that was finished only when nothing else could have been taken out.
Massive Attack clearly know what popular music should be about: not pigeonholing music into genres, and not getting the mix to sound as loud as possible, but pairing music and words together to stir the emotions. Protection is as atmospheric as King Tubby's best dubs, yet as modern as Leftism. Unless you're adverse to modern music in general, you'll probably find something you like here.
Pro*tec"tion (?), n. [L. protectio: cf. F. protection.]
1.
The act of protecting, or the state of being protected; preservation from loss, injury, or annoyance; defense; shelter; as, the weak need protection.
To your protection I commend me, gods. Shak.
2.
That which protects or preserves from injury; a defense; a shield; a refuge.
Let them rise up . . . and be your protection. Deut. xxxii. 38.
3.
A writing that protects or secures from molestation or arrest; a pass; a safe-conduct; a passport.
He . . . gave them protections under his hand. Macaulay.
4. Polit. Econ.
A theory, or a policy, of protecting the producers in a country from foreign competition in the home market by the imposition of such discriminating duties on goods of foreign production as will restrict or prevent their importation; -- opposed to free trade.
Writ of protection. Law (a) A writ by which the king formerly exempted a person from arrest; -- now disused. [Eng.] Blackstone. (b) A judicial writ issued to a person required to attend court, as party, juror, etc., intended to secure him from arrest in coming, staying, and returning.
Syn. -- Preservation; defense; guard; shelter; refuge; security; safety.
© Webster 1913.
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