Clearly an imperial blunder.
How did the Berg economy get "ruined" ? 16 million francs lost over the border (a liter of dry white beans per month per person), or the stopping of their smuggling ? Both seem like pretty small effects.
Or, do we have evidence that the economy was "ruined" at all ? The author I cited clearly indicated no ruining. Damage, as noted above, not ruin. How was he wrong ?