Trump Revives Gilded Age Tariff Policies, Drawing Praise and Criticism

President Trump advocates for high tariffs reminiscent of the 19th century, citing their historical role in economic growth, despite expert concerns about their modern implications.

• Trump has expressed admiration for the Gilded Age (1870-1913), focusing on high tariffs and fiscal surpluses as key drivers of economic growth during that era.
• Experts argue that the Gilded Age's economic growth was largely fueled by factors like industrialization, immigration, and resource exploitation rather than tariffs alone.
• The president has implemented and proposed new tariffs on imports from China, the European Union, and other nations, with plans for broader 'reciprocal' import taxes starting April 2.
• Historians and economists warn that Trump's idealization of Gilded Age policies overlooks the era's widespread inequality, corruption, and erratic economic growth.
• Trump's comparisons to President McKinley, a tariff advocate, are complicated by McKinley's eventual shift toward lowering tariffs to foster international trade before his assassination in 1901.

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