SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - Made in America: The short list

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealhead (Post 1909930)

Wal Mart and over consumerism is what has done us in people want low cost over anything else and that is why most items are not made in the US or 1st world nations now our only major in demand comity are high cost items that require complex machinery and engineering to even produce the problem is that these types of items usually do not require very many workers to produce so less jobs you only need maybe 100-150 workers at a GE turbofan factory you might need 500 or more workers at a t-shirt factory.

Good points. Another thing that gets ignored is the effect of productivity increases. Manufacturing jobs are inevitably going to be lost because of increased technology and efficiency. Building one car on Henry Ford's Model T assembly line probably took 100 times the number of workers it takes to build one Ford today.

Quote:

Manufacturing jobs are inevitably going to be lost because of increased technology and efficiency.

This.

As technology and culture changes, so do industries. We have always experienced some industry, and unfortunately workers, "left behind".

Horse-related industries
Typewriter companies
Sewing Machine companies. Does anyone even remember Adler?
Stenographers
Electric Tube companies
People who's job it was to add before adding machines.

(I am sure we can continue this list)

When technology/culture changed, all these people were out of jobs. The smart ones were able to apply themselves and find a new industry, but I am sure there were some that stayed until it was too late.

If it is on a personal level, it is sad. No one wants to hear about Uncle Bob's factory going out of business and Bob having to start over after 30 years.

But for every industry that closed, there were new opportunities that open. Not all the time and not in all situations. But most of the time.

If one is in a particularly vulnerable industry, it is important to have a Plan B, just in case.

What can't happen is for people to refuse to change and insist that "The Government" make rules mandating that their industry continue despite changing technology/culture.