Ronald Reagan, Tariffs, and the Truth About Free Trade: Lessons for Today’s Economy
“Facts don’t mind being questioned; lies do” In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan stood before the American people and made a case that still echoes through economic debates today: tariffs don’t build prosperity—they break it. At a time when many were calling for protectionist policies to shield American industries from foreign competition, Reagan’s message was clear and unwavering. He saw beyond the politics of fear and the allure of quick fixes. To him, the path to real economic strength lay not in closing America’s doors, but in keeping them open. Reagan’s Case Against Tariffs In a 1986 radio address on trade, Reagan delivered one of his most memorable economic lines: “ Protectionism is destructionism. It costs jobs. It costs progress. It leads to lower productivity and lower growth.” Those words captured the essence of his economic philosophy. Reagan believed that tariffs—though often dressed up as tools to “protect American jobs”—ultimately hurt the very peo...
