In the mid-20th century, the U.S. was the world’s manufacturing capital, employing more workers than any other sector. At its peak in the 1950s, a quarter of the civilian workforce was employed in manufacturing. However, since the 1980s, free trade agreements have helped many industries move overseas, while automation reduced the number of workers needed in the remaining factories. Today, only about 7% of the workforce is employed in manufacturing, a figure that’s held steady since the Great Recession.
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