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Talk6 min

What are tariffs, and how do they work?

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About

In 1930, in hopes of supporting farms and manufacturing, President Hoover made a bold decision: he approved a sweeping 20% tax on all imported agricultural and industrial goods. But the plan completely backfired, leading exports to fall and global trade to decline. And it wouldn't be the last time a world leader was shocked by a tariff’s consequences. Trace the economic chain reaction of tariffs. [Directed by Avi Ofer, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by Stephen LaRosa, Wonder Boy Audio].

The talk

  1. What are tariffs, and how do they work? 6 min · TED's player

Credits and licence

Institution
TED
Department
TED-Ed
Speaker
TED-Ed
Year
2026
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Biology, Economics, Society and politics, History, Teaching and learning
Source
TED
Licence
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, as TED states it. Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions. TED's terms
Attribution
TED Talks are licensed by TED under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International and are shown here in TED's own player, as TED's usage policy asks.
Who can watch
TED gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed