Artificial economy

Is it part of protectionism ?

I don't see any specific references to this term. I have run into the term "artificial economic pressure" meaning policy or regulations that interfere with economic processes (for example healthcare).

I suppose if you believe that the free market is "natural" economics, than putting tariffs on certain products could be considered "artificial". You will have to make a more specific and interesting question to get much discussion on the topic.

I take that back. I just found a reference to artificial economics referring to a field in Artificial Intelligence. This would refer to an economy maintained by computer programs....

That sounds cool to me.

I'd be worried.

Almost all my economic activity would be deemed 'unproductive' and probably banned.

The depends on who wrote the computer programs

Or who was paying the programmers.. :-)

If I am the programmer who is programming the economy, I don't think it matters who is paying me.