Thomas Jefferson Quotes
I hope every good citizen will never again purchase any article of foreign manufacture which can be had of American make be the difference in price what it may.
Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, 3rd President of the United States (Democratic Republican, VA), Letter to B. S. Barton, February 26, 1815
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
It is interesting that the first national women’s political party was a strong advocate of protectionism and saw free trade as an unfair hurdle for mostly male workers. At the time, the Republicans were staunch protectionists, and the Democrats, the free traders thus illustrating that the major parties continuously flip-flop on major issues.
This historical quotation shows us that the nation under Republican control at the end of the 19th century was highly protectionist. In addition. It shows us how a party can flip flop on its most cherished principles. A century later, free trade was the cornerstone of Republican philosophy and opponents who held to the Republican 19th century principles were accused of being detriments to the American growth and economic system.
The Country was still in the Depression.
Responding to the suggestion that he be a candidate for president:
British colonial economics imported raw materials to England which then exported them back to the colonies as manufactured goods. Gandhi correctly calculated that by minimizing purchase of English cloth, colonial control of India would not be as profitable. Gandhi not only called for the boycott, but called on Indians to spin their own cloth, set an example be spinning himself, and his Congress party adopted the spinning wheel as its logo and symbol which continues today. Narcotics, was at the time not only legal, but British economic interests controlled much of the world narcotics trade. Gandhi’s call for a boycott of narcotics was as much an economic tactic as it was a health measure.
This same argument was used before and since to justify protecting domestic manufacturing from foreign competition until it can mature sufficiently to compete in a global economy. One difficulty occurs if protective tariffs are imposed for this reason. The manufacturers protected never seem to reach the point where they can compete without the subsidy.
Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He had previously served as the second vice president of the United States under John Adams between 1797 and 1801. The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists to break from the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation; he produced formative documents and decisions at both the state and national levels.
