Adam Davidson Making It In America Summary

Summary of “Making It in America” In the article “Making It in America,” journalist Adam Davidson discusses the topic of the struggles of the current job economy in America, specifically in the manufacturing industry. He uses three different aspects to discuss this with the reader. Davidson uses the overall progress, decline, and fluctuation of the manufacturing economy, the people in the factory he went to and their stories and remarks, and informs the reader of the long term change and effect that the manufacturing economy has seen over the years to help the reader get to better know the topic. Throughout Davidson’s article he discusses the statistics and overall fluctuation of the economy for the manufacturing industry. On his visit, Davidson goes to Standard Motor Products’ with a mission in mind. In his article, he states, “I came here to find answers to questions that arise from the data.”(p 318). Davison set out on this journey

He begins with the beginning where tells of how the machinery was when it started off. “Hundreds of mills here once spun raw cotton into thread and then wove and knit the thread into clothes and textiles.” (p 320). The author then uses Maddie yet again as an example to show how the economy has been doing in the past few years up to today. “Some workers, especially those with advanced manufacturing skills, now earn higher wages and have more opportunity, but there are not enough jobs for many others who … don’t have training past high school.” (p 320). Another example that Davidson uses to show the change is Luke, also one of the workers at the machinery. “In many ways, Luke personifies the dramatic shift in the U.S. industrial labor market.” (p 323). Here the author explains how the machinery Luke works with and how it has progressed, as well as he has, to help show the change in the manufacturing