About ITIF’s Hamilton Center on Industrial Strategy

The United States risks losing its technological, economic, and national security lead to China. That is why the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) believes it’s time for the federal government to establish a cohesive approach to economic policy that focuses squarely on bolstering America’s competitive position in advanced technologies and industries that constitute the most strategically important sectors of the economy. That will entail focusing on advanced-industry competitiveness in most, if not all major areas of U.S. policy affecting the economy—because that will be the best way to power the growth necessary to ensure economic, technology, and national security leadership in the decades ahead. ITIF’s Hamilton Center on Industrial Strategy is devoted to advancing a broad framework and specific policy agenda to accomplish that goal.

Why Hamilton? Too many revisionists today assume that the American political and economic tradition is laissez-faire and that its roots trace back to Adam Smith. In fact, America’s is a “national development” tradition, where government has consistently played a key supportive role in promoting industrial development. As a Whig federalist, Alexander Hamilton understood that the United States needed to industrialize to become more than a dependent agrarian periphery economy—and to do that, it needed a strong state to work with and support private enterprise. As he wrote in Federalist No. 11, “Under a vigorous national government, the natural strength and resources of the country, directed to a common interest, would baffle all the combinations of European jealousy to restrain our growth.” Government has continued to play a key role in technology and industry competitiveness ever since.

But with America now facing an aggressive, often malign challenge from China in particular, there needs to be stronger policy advocacy and thought leadership articulating the case for a robust national strategic-industry policy that focuses on critical, dual-use technologies and industries in advanced, traded sectors of the economy. This requires firmly rebutting the deeply held view of most economists and many policymakers that all industries are created equal. (In other words, no more “potato chips, computer chips—what’s the difference?”) It requires making tough political choices and “picking winners”—not individual firms or specific technologies, but certain industries and categories of technology that are critical to the nation’s future. Finally, it requires government that is knowledgeable and sophisticated about the operation of industry and the effects of policy on traded sectors.

The Hamiltonian perspective represents a new intellectual framework for practical competitiveness policy that enables U.S. technology leadership in global markets. That is the Hamilton Center’s mission: to advance strategic-industry policy that accomplishes more than simply adding innovation inputs (e.g., more science spending) or improving factor conditions (e.g., robust intellectual property protection), as important as these are. It must instead craft and effectively implement policies and programs that directly enable firms in America to lead in these key industries and technologies.

Led by ITIF president and founder Dr. Robert D. Atkinson, the Hamilton Center conducts economic research, publishes actionable policy analysis, organizes high-level discussions, and engages with policymakers to rethink economic policy so that it becomes a key tool to achieve U.S. technological leadership. The Hamilton Center’s advisory board, which includes leading scholars, practitioners, and former officials with deep knowledge and experience on a wide range of issues involving industrial strategy matters, provides guidance and support to the Center on its programs, research, and activities.

Visit the Center’s homepage for the latest publications and events and to learn more about the Center’s staff and advisors.