[GenXteacher]

No, I teach history, which shows that we had manufacturing expansion while we had tariffs, particularly in the late 1800s when we had much of our growth in economic terms take place.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

The problem with history is that it only happens once. You can say that there was a large amount of economic growth during particular points in the 1800s, but you can't say what those results would have been without tariffs, or with higher ones. Deciding that tariffs were the cause of economic growth at the time (rather than an impediment that didn't erase all of the economic gains), despite the fact that the US grew in size, scope, and population dramatically, means that you have reached a conclusion and are now cherry-picking evidence.

With smaller tariffs, would the growth in the 1800s have been smaller or larger? Did they act as wings or as shackles? History can't tell us that. Only economic principles have guesses (and they aren't much better than that) as to the effect of any economic policies. And I haven't heard any economic principles here so far that couldn't be written on a matchbook... in crayon...

[central_va]

Without the War of Independence and trade tariffs North America would have missed the industrialist revolution. Hitler wins WWII and we all speak German.