The Myth of Manufacturing Greatness

In the chaotic arena of global economics, few moves have been as erratic—or as self-defeating—as America’s trade war with China. Marketed with a rose-tinted slogan about "bringing back jobs," the policy isn’t a bold leap forward. It’s a clumsy attempt to resurrect a 1950s economic fantasy. And we’re paying the price—twice over.

First, let’s dismantle the myth. The notion that America has abandoned manufacturing is a distortion rooted in nostalgia. The U.S. remains the world’s second-largest manufacturer. What’s shifted isn’t our output, but the nature of the work and where it happens. We’ve outsourced low-wage, labor-heavy roles to developing nations and, in exchange, focused on high-value industries—design, tech, finance—that offer salaries 10 to 20 times higher.