"Much of the clothing, homeware, tools and toys that Americans now buy is so inexpensive that it can be purchased almost without thinking. That has fueled an addiction to cheap stuff. No matter how quick the shipping time, the rush we get from our personalized phone cases and matching pajama sets is shorter: We throw many of these items out after only a few uses and start the cycle all over again. With the approach of Black Friday, the most visible display of America's shopping compulsion is just around the corner."
Whether the author is suggesting this was the primary motivation for the tariffs is unclear, but they are certainly making a strong connection between the two:
"President Trump's tariffs and his vision of restoring America as a manufacturing powerhouse are challenging this "buy now, worry later" mindset. According to the Tax Foundation, Trump has raised the average effective tariff on all imported goods from 2.5% in 2022 to 13% today—the highest level since 1941."
The gap in the argument, of course, is that, in order for the tariffs to have a net positive sustainability effect, the government would need to invest the money raised in sustainability-linked efforts. If that condition does not hold, the tariffs are essentially a tax that is merely redirected from one unsustainable effort (e.g., purchasing from Shein; see Strategic CSR - Shein + Boohoo) to another (e.g., subsidies for oil and gas R&D; see Strategic CSR - Fossil fuel subsidies).
Take care
David
David Chandler
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation (6e)
© Sage Publications, 2023
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Will Trump's Trade War Break America's Addiction to Cheap Stuff?
By Rachel Wolfe
November 15-16, 2025
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
C1-2
