The Political Fallout of Machine Tool Automation in the Mid-20th Century United States

Since the late 1960s, Americans have been losing confidence in political and elite social institutions, and some regional and demographic groups have turned away from the previously dominant Democratic party. Scholars have highlighted the role of cultural factors in explaining these shifts. We instead investigate the role of technological change, focusing on the automation of production in metal manufacturing – in particular, the diffusion of computer numerical control (CNC), which began in the 1970s. Workers who were more exposed to CNC technology reported less confidence in American institutions and weakened identification with the Democratic party. Additionally, in the South, which was going through a partisan realignment, vote share for third-party candidates rose and voter participation fell.