Did Alexander Hamilton really oppose protectionist tariffs?
In this episode, Mike Steger examines one of the most debated questions surrounding President Trump's tariff policies by returning to Hamilton's own writings and the founding principles of the American Republic.
Drawing from Hamilton's 1782 *The Continentalist No. 5*, his 1791 *Report on Manufactures*, the writings of Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and the legacy of Charlie Kirk, Mike argues that
the American System was never simply about economics.
Instead, the American System is about
developing the human mind
strengthening national industry and
preparing citizens for the responsibilities of self-government
From Hamilton's vision for manufacturing to Franklin's understanding of the pursuit of happiness, from Lincoln's conception of human progress to the enduring legacy of Charlie Kirk, this discussion explores why America's economic system was built on moral and civilizational foundations that remain just as relevant today.
Topics include…
• Alexander Hamilton's true view of tariffs
• President Trump's tariff policy
• The American System of political economy
• Hamilton's Report on Manufactures
• Free trade vs. protectionism
• Benjamin Franklin and the pursuit of happiness
• Abraham Lincoln on human progress
• Manufacturing and national independence
• Charlie Kirk's legacy
• The moral foundations of the American Republic
Sources Referenced
Hamilton, The Continentalist No. 5 (1782) [ LINK ]
Hamilton, Report on Manufactures (1791) [ LINK ]
Benjamin Franklin, *On True Happiness*: [ LINK ]
Phil Gramm, *Hamilton Was No Protectionist*: [ LINK ]
Phillip Magness, *America Was Not Founded by "Tariff Men"*: [ LINK ]
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Hamilton, Tariffs, and the American Empire
02:17 Free Trade vs. the American System
04:24 Hamilton's 1782 Vision for Trade
06:57 The Report on Manufactures
08:58 Manufacturing, Liberty & the Human Mind
10:27 Benjamin Franklin on True Happiness
11:42 Charlie Kirk & the American Spirit
12:43 Conclusion
