Replies

The history of tariffs is interesting. The American Revolution was fought in good part against the mercantilist (protectionist) policies of Great Britain.

Once the US was formed, there has been a continual struggle between free-traders and protectionists, and the tariff has gone up and down. In the years before the income tax, some (smallish) level of tariff was needed to fund the government. It’s not true that we were “an extreme protectionist nation for the first 130 years”. You need to distinguish between (low) tariffs for revenue generation and (high) tariffs for protectionism.

The Tariff of 1789 was generally not high, 5% for most items, and the primary purpose was revenue generation; this was in the days before an income tax. It was only in 1816 that a strongly protectionist tariff was passed. (It’s not the Founding Fathers who were extremely protectionist, but the next generation.)

In the 19th century, the economy could tolerate some protectionism. With no income tax, without onerous government regulations, and with the built-in growth of a continent to settle, we had a primarily free-market economy in spite of the tariff. The tariff was a drag on the economy, but the positives generally overwhelmed that. (On the other hand, we would have grown even more without protectionist tariffs, and studies have shown that the early protectionist tariffs didn’t really help the industries they were intended to assist.)

Now, with an income tax and with overbearing regulations, we can ill afford the fallacy of protectionism. Speaking of “cojones”, I notice that you didn’t address the main point — that protectionist policies produce a drag on the economy as a whole, even though they may benefit a small number of individuals. Their cost is far greater than their benefit.

Finally, calling me a “traitor” is offensive. I want what is best for the US, and I believe you do too. You may think I am wrong, and that the policies I propose would be bad for the country, but that doesn’t make me a traitor; it would just make me wrong. I think you are wrong, and the the policies you propose would be bad for the country, but that doesn’t make you a traitor either; it would just make you wrong.

You may want to be careful on any platform where people use real names or are identifiable — calling someone a traitor may be libelous under those circumstances.

You may want to be careful on any platform where people use real names or are identifiable — calling someone a traitor may be libelous under those circumstances.

After 30 years of destructive economic policies that started with with NATFA, anyone who defends the current trade situation at this point is a Free Traitor™. It is a perfect name for them. So are you threatening me? LOL.

You can clearly see from the table below your post is factually challenged.

U.S. Historical Tariffs (Customs) Collections by Federal Government
(All dollar amounts are in millions of U.S. dollars)^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Year Tariff
Income Budget
% Tariff Federal
Receipts Income
Tax Payroll
Tax Average
Tariff

1792 $4.4 95.0% $4.6 $- $- 15.1%

1795 $5.6 91.6% $6.1 $- $- 8.0%

1800 $9.1 83.7% $10.8 $- $- 10.0%

1805 $12.9 95.4% $13.6 $- $- 10.7%

1810 $8.6 91.5% $9.4 $- $- 10.1%

1815 $7.3 46.4% $15.7 $- $- 6.5%

1820 $15.0 83.9% $17.9 $- $- 20.2%

1825 $20.1 97.9% $20.5 $- $- 22.3%

1830 $21.9 88.2% $24.8 $- $- 35.0%

1835 $19.4 54.1% $35.8 $- $- 14.2%

1840 $12.5 64.2% $19.5 $- $- 12.7%

1845 $27.5 91.9% $30.0 $- $- 24.3%

1850 $39.7 91.0% $43.6 $- $- 22.9%

1855 $53.0 81.2% $65.4 $- $- 20.6%

1860 $53.2 94.9% $56.1 $- $- 15.0%

1863 $63.0 55.9% $112.7 $- $- 25.9%

1864 $102.3 38.7% $264.6 $- $- 32.3%

1865 $84.9 25.4% $333.7 $61.0 $- 35.6%

1870 $194.5 47.3% $411.3 $37.8 $- 44.6%

1875 $157.2 54.6% $288.0 $- $- 36.1%

1880 $184.5 55.3% $333.5 $- $- 27.6%

1885 $181.5 56.1% $323.7 $- $- 32.6%

1890 $229.7 57.0% $403.1 $- $- 27.6%

1900 $233.2 41.1% $567.2 $- $- 27.4%

1910 $233.7 34.6% $675.2 $- $- 15.0%

1913 $318.8 44.0% $724.1 $35.0 $- 17.6%

1915 $209.8 30.1% $697.9 $47.0 $- 12.5%

1916 $213.7 27.3% $782.5 $121.0 $- 8.9%

1917 $225.9 20.1% $1,124.3 $373.0 $- 7.7%

1918 $947.0 25.8% $3,664.6 $2,720.0 $- 31.2%

1920 $886.0 13.2% $6,694.6 $4,032.0 $- 16.8%

1925 $547.6 14.5% $3,780.1 $1,697.0 $- 13.0%

1928 $566.0 14.0% $4,042.3 $2,088.0 $- 13.8%

1930 $587.0 14.1% $4,177.9 $2,300.0 $- 19.2%

1935 $318.8 8.4% $3,800.5 $1,100.0 $- 15.6%

1940 $331.0 6.1% $5,387.1 $2,100.0 $800.0 12.6%

1942 $369.0 2.9% $12,799.1 $7,900.0 $1,200.0 13.4%

1944 $417.0 0.9% $44,148.9 $34,400.0 $1,900.0 10.6%

1946 $424.0 0.9% $46,400.0 $28,000.0 $1,900.0 7.7%

1948 $408.0 0.9% $47,300.0 $29,000.0 $2,500.0 5.5%

1950 $407.0 0.9% $43,800.0 $26,200.0 $3,000.0 4.5%

1951 $609.0 1.1% $56,700.0 $35,700.0 $4,100.0 5.5%

1955 $585.0 0.8% $71,900.0 $46,400.0 $6,100.0 5.1%

1960 $1,105.0 1.1% $99,800.0 $62,200.0 $12,200.0 7.3%

1965 $1,442.0 1.2% $116,800.0 $74,300.0 $22,200.0 6.7%

1970 $2,430.0 1.3% $192,800.0 $123,200.0 $44,400.0 6.0%

1975 $3,676.0 1.3% $279,100.0 $163,000.0 $84,500.0 3.7%

1980 $7,174.0 1.4% $517,100.0 $308,700.0 $157,800.0 2.9%

1985 $12,079.0 1.6% $734,000.0 $395,900.0 $255,200.0 3.6%

1990 $11,500.0 1.1% $1,032,000.0 $560,400.0 $380,000.0 2.8%

1995 $19,301.0 1.4% $1,361,000.0 $747,200.0 $484,500.0 2.6%

2000 $19,914.0 1.0% $2,025,200.0 $1,211,700.0 $652,900.0 1.6%

2005 $23,379.0 1.1% $2,153,600.0 $1,205,500.0 $794,100.0 1.4%

2010 $25,298.0 1.2% $2,162,700.0 $1,090,000.0 $864,800.0 1.3%

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:
All dollar amounts are in millions of U.S. dollars
Income taxes include Individual and Corporate taxes
Federal expenditures often exceed Revenue by temporary borrowings.
Initially the U.S. Federal Government was financed mainly by customs(tariffs
Average Tariff Rate % = Customs Revenue/ cost of Imports (goods).
Other taxes collected are: Income Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Inheritance,
Tariffs—often called Customs or duties on imports, etc.
Income Taxes began in 1913 with the passage of 16th Amendment.
Payroll taxes are Social Security and Medicare taxes
Payroll Taxes began in 1940.
Many Federal government Excise taxes are assigned to Trust Funds
and are collected for and “dedicated” to a particular Trust.
Sources:

Historical Statistics of the United States 1789-1945^[7]
Bicentennial Edition Historical Statistics of the United States Series 1790-1970^[8]
U.S. Census Trade Statistics^[9]
Whitehouse Historical Tables 1940-2016^[10]

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Hamilton tariff 1789

U.S. Historical Tariffs (Customs) Collections by Federal Government (All dollar amounts are in millions of U.S. dollars)^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Year	Tariff Income	Budget % Tariff	Federal Receipts	Income Tax	Payroll Tax	Average Tariff
1792	$4.4	95.0%	$4.6	$-	$-	15.1%
1795	$5.6	91.6%	$6.1	$-	$-	8.0%
1800	$9.1	83.7%	$10.8	$-	$-	10.0%
1805	$12.9	95.4%	$13.6	$-	$-	10.7%
1810	$8.6	91.5%	$9.4	$-	$-	10.1%
1815	$7.3	46.4%	$15.7	$-	$-	6.5%
1820	$15.0	83.9%	$17.9	$-	$-	20.2%
1825	$20.1	97.9%	$20.5	$-	$-	22.3%
1830	$21.9	88.2%	$24.8	$-	$-	35.0%
1835	$19.4	54.1%	$35.8	$-	$-	14.2%
1840	$12.5	64.2%	$19.5	$-	$-	12.7%
1845	$27.5	91.9%	$30.0	$-	$-	24.3%
1850	$39.7	91.0%	$43.6	$-	$-	22.9%
1855	$53.0	81.2%	$65.4	$-	$-	20.6%
1860	$53.2	94.9%	$56.1	$-	$-	15.0%
1863	$63.0	55.9%	$112.7	$-	$-	25.9%
1864	$102.3	38.7%	$264.6	$-	$-	32.3%
1865	$84.9	25.4%	$333.7	$61.0	$-	35.6%
1870	$194.5	47.3%	$411.3	$37.8	$-	44.6%
1875	$157.2	54.6%	$288.0	$-	$-	36.1%
1880	$184.5	55.3%	$333.5	$-	$-	27.6%
1885	$181.5	56.1%	$323.7	$-	$-	32.6%
1890	$229.7	57.0%	$403.1	$-	$-	27.6%
1900	$233.2	41.1%	$567.2	$-	$-	27.4%
1910	$233.7	34.6%	$675.2	$-	$-	15.0%
1913	$318.8	44.0%	$724.1	$35.0	$-	17.6%
1915	$209.8	30.1%	$697.9	$47.0	$-	12.5%
1916	$213.7	27.3%	$782.5	$121.0	$-	8.9%
1917	$225.9	20.1%	$1,124.3	$373.0	$-	7.7%
1918	$947.0	25.8%	$3,664.6	$2,720.0	$-	31.2%
1920	$886.0	13.2%	$6,694.6	$4,032.0	$-	16.8%
1925	$547.6	14.5%	$3,780.1	$1,697.0	$-	13.0%
1928	$566.0	14.0%	$4,042.3	$2,088.0	$-	13.8%
1930	$587.0	14.1%	$4,177.9	$2,300.0	$-	19.2%
1935	$318.8	8.4%	$3,800.5	$1,100.0	$-	15.6%
1940	$331.0	6.1%	$5,387.1	$2,100.0	$800.0	12.6%
1942	$369.0	2.9%	$12,799.1	$7,900.0	$1,200.0	13.4%
1944	$417.0	0.9%	$44,148.9	$34,400.0	$1,900.0	10.6%
1946	$424.0	0.9%	$46,400.0	$28,000.0	$1,900.0	7.7%
1948	$408.0	0.9%	$47,300.0	$29,000.0	$2,500.0	5.5%
1950	$407.0	0.9%	$43,800.0	$26,200.0	$3,000.0	4.5%
1951	$609.0	1.1%	$56,700.0	$35,700.0	$4,100.0	5.5%
1955	$585.0	0.8%	$71,900.0	$46,400.0	$6,100.0	5.1%
1960	$1,105.0	1.1%	$99,800.0	$62,200.0	$12,200.0	7.3%
1965	$1,442.0	1.2%	$116,800.0	$74,300.0	$22,200.0	6.7%
1970	$2,430.0	1.3%	$192,800.0	$123,200.0	$44,400.0	6.0%
1975	$3,676.0	1.3%	$279,100.0	$163,000.0	$84,500.0	3.7%
1980	$7,174.0	1.4%	$517,100.0	$308,700.0	$157,800.0	2.9%
1985	$12,079.0	1.6%	$734,000.0	$395,900.0	$255,200.0	3.6%
1990	$11,500.0	1.1%	$1,032,000.0	$560,400.0	$380,000.0	2.8%
1995	$19,301.0	1.4%	$1,361,000.0	$747,200.0	$484,500.0	2.6%
2000	$19,914.0	1.0%	$2,025,200.0	$1,211,700.0	$652,900.0	1.6%
2005	$23,379.0	1.1%	$2,153,600.0	$1,205,500.0	$794,100.0	1.4%
2010	$25,298.0	1.2%	$2,162,700.0	$1,090,000.0	$864,800.0	1.3%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: All dollar amounts are in millions of U.S. dollars Income taxes include Individual and Corporate taxes Federal expenditures often exceed Revenue by temporary borrowings. Initially the U.S. Federal Government was financed mainly by customs(tariffs Average Tariff Rate % = Customs Revenue/ cost of Imports (goods). Other taxes collected are: Income Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Inheritance, Tariffs—often called Customs or duties on imports, etc. Income Taxes began in 1913 with the passage of 16th Amendment. Payroll taxes are Social Security and Medicare taxes Payroll Taxes began in 1940. Many Federal government Excise taxes are assigned to Trust Funds and are collected for and “dedicated” to a particular Trust. Sources: Historical Statistics of the United States 1789-1945^[7] Bicentennial Edition Historical Statistics of the United States Series 1790-1970^[8] U.S. Census Trade Statistics^[9] Whitehouse Historical Tables 1940-2016^[10]