The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #114515   Message #2444091
Posted By: Paul Burke
18-Sep-08 - 12:05 PM
Thread Name: BS: Why do we allow imports of Chinese goods
Subject: RE: BS: Why do we allow imports of Chinese goods
Do you believe in free markets for everyone, or just free markets for USA interests? If the latter, the Chinese will politely ask you to get lost. If the former, this is what a free market does. Always.

I don't believe in free markets, just free-ish (especially on a local scale) ones. But if my economics were introduced, stuff would be a lot more expensive for everybody (in the west), and you'd have a lot less of it and have to make it last longer. You'd have to walk and bike more, and use public transport more, and give up your SUV. So no one would vote for me or anyone else with those policies, so it's not going to happen.

And you aren't going to get development of locally sustainable economies developing to fit local situations elsewhere, while the west (governments and corporations) are employing a local goon squad on 5% of the profits to keep the rest of the locals quiet, while they take what they can by squeezing the resources.