[1010RD]

What if the state you lived in imposed that same requirement, that everything you used had to be made locally? Would you be better off?

Let me suggest you listen to these two podcasts:

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2013/11/joel_mokyr_on_g.html

and

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2013/11/edmund_phelps_o.html

They both make good, logical arguments. I lean toward Joel Mokyr’s interpretation, although micro-innovations are occurring all the time. We just don’t notice them.

Remember that nobody in 1900 thought you could eliminate 90% of farm labor and still make food. After you’ve listened to them, ping me and tell me what you think.

[familyop]

"What if the state you lived in imposed that same requirement, that everything you used had to be made locally?"

That's not very likely to happen soon. Traitors have had their associates pretending to be environmentalists in local meetings for decades to outlaw new, small manufacturing starts. Even in the middle of nowhere, there are zoning laws/ordinances against manufacturing anything on large, rural, private properties. On top of that, the planning and other regulations against owners building on their own private properties in rural areas are much like those of large cities. Many other anti-competition measures have been in law and policy for a long time (e.g., the divorce/cohabitation paradigm).

The moguls of the world are radical socialists. Some of them are nuts. That should be common knowledge by now. There's nothing conservative about them, and they play all sides in politics to prevent domestic competition and decrease the population.