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I'm pretty sure our manufacturing output exceeded China's for most of the oughts, also. The myth that "we don't make things here anymore" is, well, a myth. We j

I'm pretty sure our manufacturing output exceeded China's for most of the oughts, also. The myth that "we don't make things here anymore" is, well, a myth. We just don't employ people to make things anymore.

maxerickson 10y ago
The article is talking about competitiveness rather than output. Competitiveness is the thing that has (for example) Apple making things in China.
losteric 10y ago
It's a well founded myth based on an extremely high percentage of consumer goods produced overseas. I can't find hard data on this, but anecdotally it's very hard to find things made in the US unless it's a high end store. Chinese manufacturing filled the burst in consumer demand for budget-level products...
- bandrami 10y ago
  True, but that's a relatively small part of the economy to begin with. We make most of the heavy plant in the world, so we're essentially building the factories China uses to make the plastic crap we buy.
  - mistermann 10y ago
    How might one know the truth about this, what could I read?
  - dx034 10y ago
    Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure that German machinery exports are higher than those of the US. Couldn't find numbers but remember that Germany was #1 in that segment for quite some time, would be surprised if the US is now leading.
- beachstartup 10y ago
  > anecdotally it's very hard to find things made in the US unless it's a high end store manufacturing output is measured in dollars, not 'amount of stuff' except in very specific cases. producing fewer but more expensive high end goods (like what the US makes) can still result in more output.
jimlawruk 10y ago
Now we employ people to make things that make things.
johnnybowman 10y ago
China exceeded the US in manufacturing output in 2010. And while absolute output hasn't gone done, our share of manufacturing output has. The US manufactured 28% of all goods in 2005, and 17% in 2015.
pmorici 10y ago
That's true most people are surprised to learn this but measured in the value of the goods manufactured the US was the worlds largest manufacture for over 100 years until around 2010 then China edged ahead. The US manufactures a lot more high value items where as China dominates the cheap junk category. Same way that Apple has all the smart phone profits even though they don't dominate the smart phone market on a number of units sold basis. http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2011/2010/12/china_overtakes_america_first_all_manufacturing_0 http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2011/2010/12/china_...

maxerickson 10y ago

The article is talking about competitiveness rather than output. Competitiveness is the thing that has (for example) Apple making things in China.

losteric 10y ago

It's a well founded myth based on an extremely high percentage of consumer goods produced overseas. I can't find hard data on this, but anecdotally it's very hard to find things made in the US unless it's a high end store. Chinese manufacturing filled the burst in consumer demand for budget-level products...

bandrami 10y ago
True, but that's a relatively small part of the economy to begin with. We make most of the heavy plant in the world, so we're essentially building the factories China uses to make the plastic crap we buy.
- mistermann 10y ago
  How might one know the truth about this, what could I read?
- dx034 10y ago
  Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure that German machinery exports are higher than those of the US. Couldn't find numbers but remember that Germany was #1 in that segment for quite some time, would be surprised if the US is now leading.
beachstartup 10y ago
> anecdotally it's very hard to find things made in the US unless it's a high end store manufacturing output is measured in dollars, not 'amount of stuff' except in very specific cases. producing fewer but more expensive high end goods (like what the US makes) can still result in more output.

jimlawruk 10y ago

Now we employ people to make things that make things.

johnnybowman 10y ago

China exceeded the US in manufacturing output in 2010. And while absolute output hasn't gone done, our share of manufacturing output has. The US manufactured 28% of all goods in 2005, and 17% in 2015.

pmorici 10y ago

That's true most people are surprised to learn this but measured in the value of the goods manufactured the US was the worlds largest manufacture for over 100 years until around 2010 then China edged ahead. The US manufactures a lot more high value items where as China dominates the cheap junk category. Same way that Apple has all the smart phone profits even though they don't dominate the smart phone market on a number of units sold basis. http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2011/2010/12/china_overtakes_america_first_all_manufacturing_0 http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2011/2010/12/china_...