Replies

You conveniently omit the fact that World War II was essentially a trade war.

Globalization of finance has reduced the effectiveness and utility of tariffs. Even the most restrictive countries use other methods to construct trade barriers. They add safety, environmental, and other requirements along with excessive testing and audits, difficult certfification processes and slow document processing to create barriers.

Interestingly, the US is more likely to employ these techniques on domestic producers than their foreign competitors.

Globalization of finance has reduced the effectiveness and utility of tariffs. Even the most restrictive countries use other methods to construct trade barriers. They add safety, environmental, and other requirements along with excessive testing and audits, difficult certfification processes and slow document processing to create barriers.

You are right but most of that monkey business is due to WTO rules. Under those rules it is easier to put up and keep up the barriers to domestic entry you mention than outright tariffs
But 30-50% tariffs would still be a boon to US domestic production of energy and manufactured goods which translates into more jobs, more domestic wealth, less pressure for taxes to go to Democrat programs of welfare, wealth redistribution and racial reparations

“Interestingly, the US is more likely to employ these techniques on domestic producers than their foreign competitors.”

I agree with your comment about WWII being a trade war with respect to Japan versus the US and Great Britain. The US was effectively blocking Japan from the sources of raw materials it required to grow its mercantilist economy while the British were a foil for Japanese designs on the oil riches of Indonesia. When the US cut off oil and steel exports to Japan it retaliated against Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and the British outposts in Asia. WWII in Europe was more payback by Germany for the stiff WWII reparations as well as a preemptive strike against the emerging military threat from the Soviet Union.

I particularly concur with the quote above about the US government’s policy toward domestic producers. While the historical role of government has been to protect domestic industry and commerce, the elites in the US seem intent on destroying domestic creators of wealth instead of using government power to benefit domestic producers. This intervention by government to handicap domestic companies only makes these companies less competitive in the global economy.