Today, Explained The nostalgia economy
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Apr 8, 2025 
Oren Kass, founder and chief economist at American Compass, delves into the economic strategies behind President Trump’s tariffs. He argues that these tariffs aim to recreate a manufacturing renaissance rooted in nostalgia for traditional values. Kass discusses the socio-economic shifts impacting manufacturing jobs and critiques the misguided belief that tariffs can easily reverse deindustrialization. He also explores how businesses harness nostalgia to connect with consumers emotionally while advocating for a modern economic model that fosters growth and mobility.
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Nostalgia for Manufacturing
- The Trump administration's focus on tariffs is driven by nostalgia for a bygone era of American manufacturing.
- This nostalgia is rooted in a belief that manufacturing jobs fostered stable families and communities.
Vision of the Past
- The desired America is one with tight-knit communities, stable families, and male breadwinners in factories.
- This vision connects manufacturing with specific gender roles and family structures.
Manufacturing and Social Trends
- There's evidence linking manufacturing job losses to decreased marriage and fertility rates, particularly among men.
- This reinforces the right's fixation on manufacturing's perceived social benefits.