Buy American: The Untold Story of Economic Nationalism

by Dana Frank

"[An] eloquent, lucid history of Buy American campaigns." —Robin D. G. Kelley

With the election of Donald Trump, economic nationalism has re-emerged as a patriotic rallying cry. But are imports and “foreigners” really to blame for the disappearance of good jobs in the United States?

Tracing the history and politics of economic nationalism from the American Revolution to the present, historian Dana Frank investigates the long history of “Buy American” campaigns and their complexities. This entertaining story is full of surprises, including misguided heroes, chilling racism, and more than a few charlatans.

Frank helps reframe the debate between free trade, on the one hand, and nationalism on the other, to suggest alternative strategies that would serve the needs of working Americans—instead of the interests of corporations and economic elites—and that don’t cast “foreigners” or immigrants as our “enemies.”

Genres: History, Economics

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frank focuses primarily on a relatively narrow scope of the political aspects of and players within various "buy American" movements in US history. While this information was interesting and mostly new to me, I wanted more information on measurable effects of the various free-trade and protectionist movements on trade, jobs, budgets, etc.

I also wished that Frank had expanded on her list of six elements "of a new approach to foreign economic relations," which she summarizes 2 pages before the end of the book. The book ended just as she was getting to the really good part.

Basically, my rating leaves off two stars for things that I feel are missing from this essay.

[ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank tells a number of interesting stories and narratives in this book, but one of her most compelling theses is the difficulty of many people in the United States to devise alternatives to the "free trade vs. protectionism" dichotomy because we are taught that only "experts" understand economics. In fact, "free trade" and "protectionist" positions were historically created -- as was the idea that there are only two options. Trade is seen as governed by "natural" laws -- laws that somehow always benefit capitalism.

A social history of the politics of economics -- or, economics from the bottom up.

[Nathanael Mickelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting social history of Buy American movements hindered by its constant employment of a superficial "corporation vs. labor" trope.