Finally, the rather worrying long-term impression of exclusion becomes somewhat less so if we look at more recent trends in the absolute numbers of both factories and workers. From Chart 7, it is apparent that organized manufacturing activity has experienced a revival in the number of factories during the recent growth boom.
Even more reassuring is the picture in Chart 8, which suggests that this has been matched by a revival in employment levels. I believe that the increasing flexibility in wage contracts that was seen in Chart 6 has something to do with this revival.