Weeks into a “pause” on new tariffs, in addition to wondering what happens next, it’s a good time to look at the bigger picture. The past few months have felt like a whirlwind — an unrelenting cycle of executive orders, reversals and other sweeping policy declarations that have left many analysts scrambling to recalibrate their opinions and expectations.

While understanding single policy moves is important, looking through a longer historical lens is instructive about this moment. It reveals a pattern: a growing disregard for consensus economic views, especially around trade. Due partly to common misperceptions about the economy, it will probably continue even as the public and markets get past their displeasure over this month’s trade drama.

It’s not unusual for populist voices to eagerly cast off general and basic economic ideas, or for economists to respond with understandable frustration in defense of tried-and-true principles. What is unusual is that a fact- and experience-based economic consensus now seems to matter so little.

Throughout history, we’ve seen this play out. In his book “The Midas Paradox,” Scott Sumner reports that during the debates about the Tariff Act of 1930, better known as Smoot-Hawley, there was strong opposition from the public, the press and the business community.

In fact, 1,028 economists signed a document urging President Hoover not to approve the legislation.........

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