Bastiat wrote of the 3 terrible ism, socialism, communism and protectionism, before Marx published his manifesto. So whether Marxist or not, protectionism has long been known to be like socialism and communism evil intrusions by governments into private decisions.
Who could have guessed that Hamilton and Madison and all of those worthies in the First Congress were into communism and socialism and stuff...
“The Tariff Act of 1789, was the first major Act passed in the United States under its present Constitution of 1789 and had two purposes as stated in Section I of the Act which reads as follows:
“Whereas it is necessary for that support of government, for the discharge of the debts of the United States, and the encouragement and protection of manufactures, that duties be laid on goods, wares and merchandise”