Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act

E5516

The Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act was a 1930 U.S. law that sharply raised import duties, widely blamed for worsening international trade tensions and deepening the Great Depression.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
protectionist trade policy
tariff law
alsoKnownAs Tariff Act of 1930
appliesTo customs duties on imported goods into the United States
associatedWith Herbert Hoover administration
country United States
criticizedFor deepening the Great Depression
worsening international trade tensions
effect contributed to contraction of world trade
increased average U.S. tariff rates to historically high levels
provoked retaliatory tariffs by other countries
raised U.S. tariffs on many imported goods
enactedBy United States Congress
hasConsequence decline in U.S. exports due to retaliation
decline in U.S. imports
historicalContext Great Depression
implementedDuring Herbert Hoover presidency
influenced subsequent U.S. trade policy debates
introducedIn United States Senate
jurisdiction United States federal government
language English
legalStatus amended by later trade legislation
legislativeChamber United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
motivatedBy desire to protect American farmers
desire to protect American manufacturers
namedAfter Reed Smoot
Willis C. Hawley
opposedBy President Herbert Hoover’s economic advisers
business groups favoring free trade
many economists
partOf history of United States trade policy
policyType protectionism
politicalSupportFrom Republican Party (United States)
regionAffected global trade system
replaced Fordney–McCumber Tariff
shortName Smoot–Hawley Tariff
signedBy Herbert Hoover
signingDate 1930-06-17
sponsor Reed Smoot
Willis C. Hawley
subjectMatter customs tariffs
import duties
international trade
timePeriod interwar period
usedAsExampleOf dangers of protectionism in economic literature
yearEnacted 1930

Referenced by (15)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Customs Courts Act of 1980 ("Tariff Act of 1930")
Ottawa Agreements
Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act
relatedTo
Fordney–McCumber Tariff ("Smoot–Hawley Tariff")
Fordney–McCumber Tariff ("Tariff Act of 1930")
followedBy
Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act ("Tariff Act of 1930")
alsoKnownAs
Reed Smoot ("Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930")
coSponsorOf
Great Depression
hasKeyEvent
Reed Smoot ("Smoot–Hawley Tariff")
knownFor
United States International Trade Commission ("Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930")
legalAuthority
United States International Trade Commission ("Tariff Act of 1930")
legalBasis
Herbert Hoover administration
notableLegislation
Reed Smoot ("Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930")
notableWork
Fordney–McCumber Tariff ("Tariff Act of 1930")
repealedBy
Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act ("Smoot–Hawley Tariff")
shortName

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