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Ohio was once an industrial powerhouse with consistent economic growth and a highly influential political culture. But in recent years, “the birthplace of aviation” has suffered from consistent population loss, declining economic and political relevance, and a surge in support for far-right populists like Donald Trump and Jim Jordan.
Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan argues that Ohio suffered the most of any U.S. state in the wake of globalization and deindustrialization. Now, with some of these underlying trends reversing, Zeihan says that Ohio has “explosive” near-term growth potential, and may be positioned to play a healthy, highly prominent role in American politics and economics once more.
An excerpt from Peter’s Nov. 8 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
If you’ve ever spoken to an Ohio State fan, you know that they’ll tell you how amazing they are without you asking. Unfortunately for all of us, I’ll be adding to their boasting list today because there’s plenty of success and growth in store for Ohio.
After years of stunted economic growth caused by the Jones Act destroying its manufacturing base, Ohio is ready to turn the page like Bob Seger’s hometown. As Ohio’s reindustrialization process kicks off, we’ll see plenty more projects like Intel’s semiconductor facility pop up throughout the state.
Ohio’s political stance has long aligned with national sentiment, and we’re now seeing the state shift toward populism. Between a political shift and Ohio’s manufacturing resurgence, it’s a safe bet that this state (and all those Buckeye fans) will continue to play a critical role in the country’s future.
