The article, which is based in the tradition of Critical Theory, presents a number of reasons for preserving a strong production economy given that the aim of the nation state is to work for improved competitive advantage. It is also an attempt to show why a majority of Western countries have defended the transformation from a predominant production economy to a service economy by explaining the shift as a result of class interests, using New Class theory. It argues for why a materialist perspective in economic theory is relevant today.