Two themes in American political economy. Links on grand strategy, debating liberalism, and the future of American manufacturing. Implicit in debates about the “realignment” is the question of political economy. There are two layers to this debate. One is about whether policy should ever aim to direct political economy: Some (often coming from a more libertarian perspective) argue that the use of policy to shape the market has grave peril, while others hold that policy can be a valuable tool for influencing the contours of the market. If someone agrees with the policy project of political economy, a second topic of debate immediately arises: What should be the aim of a given political-economy program?
Thanks for providing historical perspective on contemporary debates and political narratives.
This piece corresponds in part to what I try to offer as well with my Substack.