Political Machines, Civil Service Reform, and Tariffs in the 1800s

Here's another look at the progression from protectionism to isolationism. The video begins with corruption and the eventual reforms that seek to halt the expansion of the corruption. Tariffs enter the scene as a desperate measure to quell the degradation of the manufacturing base of a country. In our century, the degradation was caused not by competition but by the leaven of "financialization". We drove businesses out of our borders to seek more profitable ways to compete in the world.