Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act

Definition

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was a U.S. law passed in 1930 that raised import tariffs to historically high levels. It was a significant policy enacted by the U.S. government to regulate international trade and influence the domestic economy.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act raised import tariffs on over 20,000 goods, with some tariffs reaching as high as 50%.
2. The act was intended to protect American farmers and industries from foreign competition, but it ultimately contributed to the Great Depression by triggering retaliatory tariffs from other countries.
3. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was a significant example of how governments can use trade policy to influence the domestic economy and global trade relationships.
4. The act was widely criticized by economists and policymakers at the time, who argued that it would harm international trade and economic recovery.
5. The negative consequences of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act led to a shift in U.S. trade policy towards greater international cooperation and lower trade barriers in the decades that followed.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was an example of the U.S. government enacting trade policy to influence the domestic economy.
  • The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was a protectionist policy enacted by the U.S. government in 1930 that significantly raised import tariffs on a wide range of goods. The goal of the act was to protect American farmers and industries from foreign competition and support domestic economic growth. By making imported goods more expensive, the U.S. government aimed to boost demand for American-made products and create jobs. However, the act ultimately backfired, as other countries retaliated with their own tariffs, leading to a decline in international trade and contributing to the severity of the Great Depression.
• Analyze how the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act represented the U.S. government's approach to regulating trade at the national level.
  • The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was a clear example of the U.S. government's willingness to use trade policy instruments, such as tariffs, to influence the domestic economy and protect domestic industries. By significantly raising import duties, the government sought to make foreign goods less competitive in the U.S. market, giving American producers an advantage. This type of nationally-focused trade policy, which prioritizes the interests of domestic stakeholders over international trade relationships, represents a protectionist approach to trade regulation. The negative consequences of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, including retaliatory actions by other countries, ultimately led to a shift in U.S. trade policy towards greater global economic integration and cooperation in the following decades.
• Evaluate the broader implications of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act for how governments can enact trade policy at the global and regional levels.
  • The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act had significant global implications that extended beyond its immediate impact on the U.S. economy. By triggering retaliatory tariffs from other countries, the act contributed to a decline in international trade and exacerbated the economic hardships of the Great Depression. This episode demonstrated how unilateral trade policy decisions made at the national level can have ripple effects on the global economy. It also highlighted the need for greater international cooperation and coordination in trade policymaking to avoid the kind of tit-for-tat protectionist measures that characterized the Smoot-Hawley era. The lessons learned from this experience ultimately led to the development of multilateral trade agreements and institutions, such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), which aimed to promote more stable and mutually beneficial global trade relationships.

Related terms

Tariff: A tax or duty imposed on imported goods, typically to protect domestic industries from foreign competition.

Protectionism: An economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs, quotas, or subsidies to domestic producers.

Trade Barriers: Policies or regulations that restrict or impede the free flow of goods and services between countries.