Meade concluded that, contrary to previous beliefs, if a country was already protecting one of its markets from international competition, further protection of another market could be "second best."
Meade konkluderede, modsat den på det tidspunkt gældende opfattelse, at hvis et lande allerede beskyttede et af sine markeder fra international konkurrence, kunne yderligere beskyttelse af et andet marked være fordelagtigt (såkaldt "second best").