The decline of manufacturing employment is a complex phenomenon attributed to multiple interacting forces; while some studies emphasize the displacement caused by automation and robots, others highlight the profound impact of international trade competition and deficits.
The retrieved papers present evidence on both sides of the debate regarding manufacturing employment decline. Papers such as [2] and [5] emphasize automation and technological change as primary drivers displacing manufacturing workers. Conversely, papers like [0] and [3] demonstrate that international trade shocks and foreign competition significantly impact manufacturing employment and earnings. Because prominent economic literature divides these driving forces rather than universally settling on automation as the sole primary driver, the verdict is CONTESTED.