But labor mobility and income differentials reflect the structure of the economy. It seems to me that knowledge economies are inherently more unequal than manufacturing economies.[1] And tariffs and industrial policy shape the structure of the economy.
[1] To use a domestic example, compare Iowa and California. California has higher GDP per capita, but Iowa (which isn’t a manufacturing economy but rather an advanced agricultural one) is a flatter and less hierarchical society. People in Iowa can afford houses and afford to start families. Who is really better off?
I don't necessarily disagree. I think there are some big advantages to being Iowa relative to California. I just don't think tariffs fix that. You get a poorer Iowa and Cali.
It may be the case that tariffs reduce disparity by making everyone poorer
Mean purchasing power does, which roughly tracks GDP per capita, and this is what tariffs will hurt.
I think the characteristics you are looking at are orthogonal from the issue of tariffs. It is about labor mobility and income differentials.
For some reason, people seem to think tariffs will raise labor pay more than the cost of goods.
Cost of goods goes up more than labor compensation.