The Myth Of Manufacturing’s Decline

Investors Business Daily ^ | JUNE 3, 2016 | Editorial

[expat_panama]

For the last two years, we’ve listened as presidential candidates promised repeatedly to “bring back manufacturing jobs.” But they really didn’t go anywhere. As the data show, manufacturing output is near its all-time high. Since 1980, factory output has grown 114%, while the number of factory jobs has shrunk by 36%, or nearly 7 million jobs total. It was technology and productivity, not China or any other nation, that “took” factory jobs.

[ilovesarah2012]

I but a lot of clothes and shoes for my one year old granddaughter. I can assure you none of the items were made in the United States of America.

[InterceptPoint]

You are correct about American manufacturing.

But you will discover something approaching zero support for your views here on FR. The Freepers will cite endless examples of industries in decline while totally ignoring the historical growth in U.S. manufacturing efficiency and output.

That improvement in efficiency has historically reduced manufacturing employment. It is the primary cause of the reductions in manufacturing employment. The same thing has happen in the agricultural industries. And whatever happened to all those blacksmiths and shoe repair guys?

[ilovesarah2012]

Maybe it’s furniture. Look at High Point, NC. Nope - not furniture. We do our cars together. Not sure where the parts come from.

[CottonBall]

Not furniture. I could only find 3 American furniture companies when looking for a new sofa set. Even LazyBoy is made in China, and its quality has significantly deteriorated.

This is one of those Orwellian stories, designed to keep the masses at bay a little longer. Remember when the Soviets would tell the starving peasants that agricultural output got higher each year and how happy the people were with the Stalin regime?

[rbg81]

Sorry, but far fewer people work in manufacturing today than did in 1980. I think 1978 was the peak year for US manufacturing employment.

Improved processes, automation and robotics have definitely had an impact. But you cannot ignore the impact of off-shoring either.

[rbg81]

I am also sure that, somwehere along the line, they redefined manufacturing to include fast food workers.

[ilovesarah2012]

I grew up in South Florida. We had clothing and show manufacturing. Those jobs left a very long time ago.

[Regulator]

LOL

Your info is 8 years out of date, and has no relative term showing the migration of manufacturing to China over the last 35 years?

Beyond absurd

The China map in 1980 would have been empty

It’s meaningless as a comparison

[SamAdams76]

I know there is more manufacturing than ever because we have so many widgets and gadgets stacked ten feet high at thousands of big box stores across America. Not to mention what is available at Amazon to be delivered to your door in two day.

That’s not to say that much of that is made in America. But even overseas, we will see manufacturing become mostly automated. The days of Laverne and Shirley standing on a manufacturing line in Milwaukee stamping caps on bottles of beer are over. Today, Laverne would be fixing your sandwich at Subway and Shirley would be making $6 lattes for yuppies at Starbucks.

Lenny and Squigley would be both getting SSI crazy checks and food stamps.

[wastedyears]

Can’t fix stupid.

[Pelham]

You’re a real genius there, Sparky. And I have no doubt that you’ve convinced yourself.

[DouglasKC]

So why are so many products labeled “Made in China”? Take a look at just about anything you buy....

[semimojo]

So manufacturing is up a whopping 14% from 1980 while we import hundreds of billions more

According to the article (and other sources) it's actually up 114%.

[RegulatorCountry]

There are still furniture manufacturers in NC, although greatly diminished and more niche-focused. Here’s a searchable site, I’ve selected furniture:

http://www.manufacturednc.com/search?naics=337

[Chode]

Fopxconn employs 1.3 MILLION people...

[Pontiac]

There is a lot of injection molding going on but other than that I don’t see much.

And since you can teach a monkey to do that work it pays about $10 an hour.

[semimojo]

Surely that must explain why the BNSF railroad spent a billion dollars to triple track their once single mainline headed east from the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

While it's true that we have current trade deficit with China, we still export over $2T in goods and services annually.

Train tracks don't run in just one direction.

[Eddie01]

I don’t know who this article in intended to appeal to, but I’m pretty sure those who lost their manufacturing jobs to China and Mexico and a hundred other countries would find it infuriating.

[Pelham]

Try looking at the composition of what we export to China.

It’s no secret. Cardboard waste is at or near the top. We ship them raw materials, not manufactured products.

We have the trade profile of a banana republic.

If that’s your idea of a healthy economy then we have little that we agree on.

[BiggerTigger]

My father would never have believed that Pravda would become the expository voice of reason in Russia and American journalists the propaganda ministers of the fascist left. He was traumatized enough when he discovered Walter Cronkite was a democrat.