Though the Smoot-Hawley tariff increases were modest compared to those under Fordney-McCumber, their timing turned the act into a virtual synonym for bad trade policy. According to the League of Nations, Smoot-Hawley triggered “an outburst of tariff-making activities in other countries, at least partly by way of reprisals,” with substantial duty hikes made almost immediately by Canada, Cuba, France, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.
1930年，美国总统赫伯特·胡佛（Herbert Hoover）和共和党国会颁布了斯穆特-霍利关税法案，将关税大战推向高潮。虽然与福德尼-麦坎伯关税协定相比，斯穆特-霍利关税法案的关税上调较为温和，但这个发布的时间点使其成为了恶劣贸易政策的代名词。根据国际联盟所述，斯穆特-霍利关税法案引发了“其他国家大规模调整关税，至少在某种程度上以此进行报复”，加拿大，古巴，法国，意大利，墨西哥，和西班牙立刻大幅上调关税税率。