In recent years, there has been a resurgence of the idea that protective tariffs can restore America's economic greatness, based on the interpretation that they fueled our growth in the 19th century and can do so again in the 21st century. This claim isn't just wrong; it's dangerous.
Take recent comments by the conservative pundit Oren Cass, who said "the way America went from colonial backwater to this globe-spanning industrial colossus was not free markets and free trade. It was aggressive protection of our domestic market." Former President Donald Trump echoes similar ideas in his many pronouncements about why, if he's reelected, tariffs will be a big and important tool to revitalize America's economy.
