While the manufacturing sector’s share of private employment fell from 11.9% in January 2008 to 10.7% in September 2012, this is only a small portion of the enormous secular decline since the early 1970’s, when manufacturing accounted for more than 30% of private-sector employment. Weak demand – especially the post-crisis collapse in consumer spending growth – is a far more likely culprit than China in explaining the recent hiring shortfall.
但这根本不足以支撑两党关于当前危机源于美国制造业职位外包给中国的论调。虽然制造业占私人部门就业的比例从2008年1月的11.9%下跌到2012年9月的10.7%，但这只是自1970年代早期出现的长期大幅下滑趋势的其中一小部分而已，须知当时制造业所占的份额可是超过30%。相比于中国来说，需求疲软——尤其是消费者支出增长在危机爆发后的暴跌——更像是最近雇佣需求下滑的罪魁祸首。