‘Men seemed to believe that their futures depended on legislation—to have forgotten or never realized that legislation can do nothing more than distribute wealth—it cannot produce it.’
Tariffs have been the sources of controversies ever since they were first introduced in the United States. By Tarbell’s time, tariffs were viewed to be a source of corruption that served no other purpose than to protect special interests. In this book, Tarbell explores the evolution of tariff policies in the United States and how they became increasingly captured by special interest groups. This book serves as both a good introduction to the history of tariff policies in the United States and also as a good explainer to tariff policies during Tarbell’s time.
Ida Minerva Tarbell was an American journalist and lecturer. She was one of the muckrakers, a group of reform-minded journalists during the Progressive Era. She is best known for her book The History of the Standard Oil Company.