Government is always practicing industrial policy, whether it acknowledges it or not. Our industrial policy and trade work seeks to build a theory and practice of how and when government should directly shape markets to better serve Americans. Our research focuses on building a distinctly American industrial policy—one that is democratically and effectively governed and financed, with the objective of reshaping industries with guardrails that advance equitable labor, environmental imperatives, corporate governance, and racial equity outcomes. The shift to an openly acknowledged industrial policy in turn requires rethinking the long-dominant neoliberal approach to trade policy.

Industrial Policy Blog Posts

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Two large cooling towers emit white steam near a river, surrounded by green trees and reflected in the calm water under a partly cloudy sky.

Can China Break Nuclear Power’s Cost Curse—and What Can the US Learn?

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A bronze plaque on a stone wall reads United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Steps and the exterior of the building are visible in the background.

In Constitutional Clash Between Trump and Courts on Tariffs, Risks Ahead for Progress

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A pie chart with six segments, each depicting a different landscape: forest, water with a boat, modern city, old city, wind turbines on grass, and a futuristic industrial area, all on a purple background.

The Role of a Mission-Oriented Framework for a Progressive Economy

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Tariffs Can’t Replace the Income Tax

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How to Fix Housing: The Pivot from Localism to Regionalism and Rule of Law

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A street is filled with downed power lines and damaged utility poles after a storm. Debris is scattered across the road, and a few cars are parked nearby. The sky is overcast, giving a sense of destruction and chaos.

Electric Utilities’ Broken Economic Incentives Are Obstructing the Green Transition

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Nippon Steel Plans To Move To U.S. Steel Headquarters If Deal Is Approved

By Siding with Steelworkers over C-Suites on US Steel Purchase, Biden Shows What a Fo

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Underserved Communities In California Receive No-Cost Solar Energy Installation

Large-Scale Solar Energy Build-Out Requires Community Engagement

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Wind, sun and water energy.

Can Policy Feedback Inoculate Clean Transitions?

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President Biden Visits A Semiconductor Manufacturer In North Carolina

Tracking the Trackers

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Close-up of the United States flag and the European Union flag side by side, with stars from both flags prominently visible in the foreground.

Why the US and EU’s Green Steel Negotiations Matter: A Series

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HIROSHIMA, JAPAN - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden listens as G7 leaders participate in an event on global infrastructure and investment during the G7 Summit on May 20, 2023 in Hiroshima, Japan. The G7 summit will be held in Hiroshima from 19-22 May. (Photo by Susan Walsh - Pool/Getty Images)

Why Biden’s Green Steel Deal Is Smart International Relations

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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the February jobs report during an event at the White House complex March 4, 2022 in Washington, DC. The U.S. economy added 678,000 new jobs in the month of February. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Why Biden’s Domestic Content Incentives Matter

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Todd Tucker, Sameera Fazili, Jane Flegal, Jennifer Harris, and K. Sabeel Rahman sitting on stage at Roosevelt's April 25, 2023 launch event for their new report.

Four Takeaways from Roosevelt’s Industrial Policy Synergies Event

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Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission) and Joe Biden

How the US and EU Can Rewrite Trade Rules to Fight the Climate Crisis

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Male and female engineers working at solar power plant. Two technicians in reflective clothing walking between rows of photovoltaic panels at solar farm.

Clean Energy Industrial Policy: A Go-To Issue with Nascent Bipartisan Appeal

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Man checking solar panels with windmills in the background

Clean Supply Chains and New Place-Based Strategies for Economic Development

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Two people sit on stage in front of a Roosevelt Institute backdrop, engaged in a discussion. The woman gestures with her hands while speaking, and the man listens attentively with a notebook and water bottle beside him.

Five Takeaways from the Roosevelt Institute’s Progressive Industrial Policy Forum

 

Explore Past Industrial Policy Events

Industrial Policy Synergies: Reflections from Biden Administration Alumni

On April 25, 2023, the Roosevelt Institute hosted a conversation with authors of our report Industrial Policy Synergies: Reflections from Biden Administration Alumni.

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Industrial Policy Biden Alumni Event Panel

Progressive Industrial Policy: 2022 and Beyond

Industrial policy is on the rise in the US because it meets the scale of our challenges. To mark and reflect on this shift, the Roosevelt Institute organized a major in-person forum in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2022.

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Industrial Policy Forum Session Panel

Green Steel Deal: A Transformative Trade Policy for Our Economy & Environment

On March 22, 2022, the Roosevelt Institute convened a panel of experts for a discussion about how the Global Steel and Aluminum Arrangement will transform our economy and the effect it will have on meeting our climate goals.

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Event flyer titled Green Steel Deal: A Transformative Trade Policy for Our Economy & Environment with event details, speaker photos, names, titles, and the Roosevelt Institute logo on a purple background.