The New Geography of Deindustrialisation and the Rise of the Right

Description

Donald Trump seems intent on starting a global trade war. His recent imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium is consistent with his rambling inaugural address about “American carnage.” Trump’s narrative of industrial decline is informed by the common sense notion that developing countries have experienced economic growth at the expense of American jobs and industry. This narrative has been deeply rooted in American politics, popular media and scholarship since the late-1970s. Furthermore, it fuels populist politics in European countries that have also witnessed declining manufacturing employment such as the UK, France and Italy. The problem with this narrative is that it ignores the simple fact that deindustrialization in Latin America and Sub-Sharan Africa has been more severe than it has been in the U.S. and Europe.