Economists take a one-dimensional view of tariffs, ignoring both complexity and historical specificity. “For many economists,” he contended, “tariffs have become an ideological litmus test with little acknowledgment of these variations. Tariffs in advanced economies — and especially in the U.S. — only matter, they argue, to the extent that they affect the prices of imported goods. For that reason, they are seen as always harmful to the economy because they always hurt consumers.”

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