Industrial Policy in the United States. The theoretical debate, the rhetoric, and the practices in the era of the Washington Consensus

The purpose of this work is to understand, by studying the American experience, which elements are crucial for the success of the industrial policy strategies implemented in response to contemporary issues. At this scope it is essential to re-explore in particular the American experience of the Eighties and Nineties, in the era of the Washington Consensus. In fact, in the «traditional» rhetoric of the American government, rooted in the us in those years, industrial policy has been always rejected. Thus, to understand the role that can be played by the government in contemporary economies, it is necessary to analyze the reality of the public intervention in a context that has clearly highlighted its weaknesses. In this framework, the work provides a rereading of how the American government, in the practices of public intervention, has played an active role in the promotion of the us industrial system.