When I was a young boy growing up, the items and the things which we used and played with from day to day were made in Japan. Early in my life, and not unique to me, I tore things apart to see how they were made. I was taken back and amused one day when I unfolded the metal making up a toy, and found that the metal came from a Schlitz beer can. I being a war baby was at the age of reason when Japan entered our markets. I watched them use cottage industry and clever ways to invent things and tool them into being. I then watched them change their national output to quality with lenses and cameras, finally enter the world big time with cars and equipment. This is not to mention creating cultured pearl farms and entering the world with their cultural and engineering insights. The main thing that matters to me at this late date in my life is the fact that it started simple using available resources. It got BIG. Big enough to leverage higher technology and enter the world trade market and succeed.
At a time in America when we have groups of people out of work and hungry, I think that there are practical benefits to creating home grown industry similar to that of Japanese efforts after world war II. It yields fast and certain returns with guidance. Markets are all in place. Market share is the only issue, and a little patriotism goes a long way to gain market share.