Since the election picked up, I've been remiss in updating our semi-regular "Decline Watch" feature, which charts examples of America's falling fortunes and reduced influence in the world. But after reading that America's newest job creator might be Foxconn -- the Taiwanese technology manufacturer best known for suicides and riots at its Chinese plants -- I'm wondering if we should create a new category for news that could conceivably be signs of either decline or renewal:
With an 800,000 strong workforce largely based in mainland China, Foxconn is one of the businesses that has profited from the decline of western manufacturing. Now the firm is apparently planning to reverse the labour drain by opening American factories.
As labour costs surge in its home market Foxconn has been looking overseas for opportunities, and sources have told Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes that the company is evaluating cities including Detroit and Los Angeles.
The Guardian notes that despite the welcome increase in U.S. manufacturing jobs, "Foxconn will have to adapt its formula, however, because America does not have armies of workers willing to survive on a few hundred dollars a month and live in dormitories."
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