Shaun S. Nichols, an associate professor of history, recently published an article in Time magazine about the Trump administration’s tariff policy and the historical context behind American industrial decline.
Nichols, who researches the history of capitalism, labor and immigration in the U.S., argues that the Trump administration misunderstands the reasons why American industry has declined since the mid-20th century. It has little to do free trade and tariffs, he says. Instead, Nichols points out that American workers mostly flocked to manufacturing jobs during times when they had few economic alternatives.