[harpseal]

A good number of economists take the stand the Smoot Hawley act mitigated the worst effects of the Great Depression in the USA. The evidence seems to be out as to which it was unless or until you can come up with something that isolates its effects from the effects of the Federal Reserve actions of the time. i have even seen some who have argued that teh immanent passage of the Smoot Hawley tariffs were teh cuase of the stock Market Crash of 1929. The time differential alone would make that ludicrous to most but the fact that there was no Smoot Hawley tariff until the separate House and senate versions of the tariff sct of 1930 went to conference committee and adopted all of the tariffs of both houses makes such speculation insane.

Would you care to back up your assertion with other than unsubstantiated opinion.

[1rudeboy]

Would you care to back up your assertion with other than unsubstantiated opinion[?]

Why? Can't I simply claim the "almost impossible to isolate the effect" privilege that you "created?"

[dennisw]

At the time of Smoot Harley, trade was 5% of the US economy. Thus doubtful that it had much to do with our Great Depression.