An economics lesson from ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’

“In 1930, the Republican controlled House of Rep, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the… Anyone? Anyone?… the Great Depression, passed the…Anyone? Anyone? The tariff bill? The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act which, anyone? anyone? Raised or lowered?… Raised tariffs, in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal gov’t. Did it work? Anyone? Anyone know the effects? It did not work, and the US sank deeper into the Great Depression.” Thank you Ben Stein for trying educate millions of students and others on this important subject of economics in “Ferris Bueller’s Day off.” Over 7 days right before and after the Smoot-Hawley act was passed in mid June 1930, the DJIA fell 15% but got most of the decline back by late July before falling more than 30% into year end. Let’s hope the just announced tire tariff on China and their possible response is just a one off spat but global stocks are down as a result.

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