[libertymcateer]

First, humans are still necessary - to build the factories, to operate them, to act as security guards - and the cost of those humans is still lower.

Second - all the other costs in low wage countries are also a lot lower. Combine that with how absurdly cheap international shipping is and there is no reason to relocate the manufacture of low-margin goods to the US until you are really starting to talk about the costs of automation being so efficient the extra pennies on shipping will make a difference in earnings. Given the expense of maintaining real assets in the U.S., i.e., buildings (utilities, maintenance, insurance, taxes, building), this is likely to be a while.

[nawitus]

"First, humans are still necessary - to build the factories, to operate them, to act as security guards - and the cost of those humans is still lower."

A lot of this work will be automated in the coming decades to the point where the effect of wage costs is marginal. In addition, the salaries in developing countries will continue to increase, eventually catching up Western nations. At that point the main factors are probably tax/import policies, price of enercy etc.