Minimal Manufacturing

When western democracies hit peak manufacturing employment in the early 1970s, national income was about $20,000/person and manufacturing employment was 30% of total employment. When the next wave of nations including Brazil and South Korea hit peak manufacturing employment in 1990, income was $7,500/person and manufacturing’s employment share was 22%. The newest nations to hit peak manufacturing, China, and India, did so at $3,000/person, with manufacturing at 15% of employment.