However, protectionism certainly did nothing to alleviate the problem. These days more subtle forms of protectionism are in vogue. One of them is the use of anti-dumping laws. This basically comes down to the logic that if a foreign country manages to produce cheaper than we do they must be dumping their products so let's slap huge duties on them. This tactic is particularly popular in Washington DC and Brussels.
Food safety is another convenient excuse.
The EU still refuses to admit US beef to European markets for fear of negative effects on health caused by the growth hormones used. The real reason for the reluctance to admit that beef to European markets is probably that the American farmers produce more efficiently than their European counterparts. Human resources that could be much more productive in other industries are tied up in unproductive ones. Successful industries are harmed by the retaliation that protectionism provokes. Protectionism is a lose-lose policy.