I think the fundamental problem is that legislation preventing cartels and "guilds" in the base industry, making top of the chain industry where the money is at, where the niche company more or less has monopoly by the nature of being niche or by controlling distribution/marketplace.

So base industry is put out of business in e.g. Europe and North America and stays in protectionist countries, making them overly dependent on foreign industry.

Greater custom duty should probably solve some of the unstable base industry situation.