Industrial Policy: Populist and Progressive

In contrast to neoliberal economic policy that favors markets, the United States has seen a revival of explicit industrial policy, with government playing a significant directive role in key industries. Surprisingly, industrial policy has support from both the left and the right, creating debates both within and between America's two major parties. Progressives and authoritarians both support some specifics of industrial policy, especially those aimed against China. But overall industrial policy differs sharply between these opposing political movements. Progressives align industrial policy with pro-union, climate-focused, and race and gender equity programs. In contrast, authoritarian industrial policy is part of a larger anti-union, anti-immigrant, and pronatalist agenda. Hence, agreement among progressives and authoritarians over specifics of industrial policy should not mask very deep disagreements on overall policy frameworks.