Industrial policy has seen a dramatic resurgence in recent years. From the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS Act, and Inflation Reduction Act, to the Trump era’s focus on domestic manufacturing incentives and trade rebalancing, there’s a palpable shift back towards this approach. While this renewed interest feels novel, the core concepts of industrial policy are deeply rooted in historical discourse. This moment, characterized by conversations around industrial policy, highlights the enduring importance of sustained public and expert dialogue.
CTSE’s “Science, Industry, and the State” Project is designed to engage with the nexus between science, technology, and industry, both in our contemporary geopolitical landscape and through a historical lens. The Science, Industry, and the State series includes essays from leading experts, exploring the far-ranging impacts of industrial policy on various sectors and contextualizing them within its rich history. Our inspiration for this endeavor is the 1986 AEI volume, The Politics of Industrial Policy, co-edited by Claude Barfield, which will be re-released in 2026 with updated chapters.
M. Anthony Mills | July 16, 2024
Does the CHIPS and Science Act Argue for Industrial Policy?
Derek Scissors | August 26, 2025
How Many Manufacturing Jobs Will Trump’s Tariffs Create? And at What Cost?
Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Ye Zhang | September 24, 2025