Not really. But the article quoted below makes an excellent point about American protectionism.
I will quote the first three paragraphs of Steven E. Landsburg of the University of Rochester. The article is "Xenophobia and Politics ? Why protectionism is a lot like racism" in the March 28 issue of Forbes magazine.
Not long ago in American history accidents of berth were considered legitimate grounds for employment discrimination. Political platforms contained phrases lik: "Federal contracts, whenever possible, should be performed by white workers." Politicians demanded tax incentives to reward firms for hiring whites instead of blacks or showing other kinds of favoritism. Those same politicians endorsed "Right to Know" legislation to alert consumers when products were produced by the "wrong" kinds of workers. They embraced slogans like "Buy white!".
When I say this kind of thing was commonplace "not long ago" I really mean not long ago. Except for one minor and morally insignificant difference, I got all the above from John Kerry?s Web site. The only change I made is this: Where Kerry said "American", I substituted "white".
It?s not just Kerry, of course. Both major parties (and most of the minor ones) are infested with protectionist fellow travelers who would discriminate on the basis of national origin not less virulently then David Duke or any other overt racist would discriminate on the basis of skin color. But if racism is morally repugnant ? and it is ? then so is xenophobia, and for exactly the same reasons.
What do you think? Is it selfish and prejudicial to try to prevent American corporations from taking jobs to other countries?
What do you think? Is it selfish and prejudicial to try to prevent American corporations from taking jobs to other countries?
I'm not certain to what you are referring here. Outsourcing?
No. It's not selfish and prejudicial. Plenty of qualitied Americans here of all flavors...white, black, Indian, Arabs, Hispanics, etc.
I realize there are some positives about outsourcing, and that it is inevitable. It's not that I begrudge persons in other countries a decent job and income, it's just that I'd rather see Americans get jobs in American companies.
Over two hundred years ago Adam Smith said that if another country can produce goods that were cheaper and a higher quality then your own country produced you should buy them.
Protectionism destroys wealth and lowers the standard of living of the country it is supposed to be protecting.
Globalism and outsourcing creates wealth for everyone.
I guess what I think about it is that "selfish" and "predjudicial" are far less sinful (or perhaps not even rising to the level of "sins") than racism.
I don't see it primarily as a moral discussion, I see it as a discussion of economics and diplomacy and pragmatics. What confuses people is the nasty-yet-persistant belief that for someone to win, someone else has to lose. This is not true in real life, only in games. In real life, most of the time a win/win situation is the only way for either party to actually win, especially where groups of people are concerned.
This thing is complicated. It does seem like village mentality to me to horde what we have and exclude everyone else. But what makes it seem most intimidating is that the rest of the world has the same technology, skills and they are often more motivated. The also have the oil and the limitless manpower. What edge do we really have anymore. You are right:
Plenty of qualitied Americans here of all flavors
Yet if an American company uses only American work force to produce products it cannot compete in the world market. So we can use American workers to produce American products that only Americans can afford, then we import the same product from Asia and the American company goes bankrupt. We can stop the imports and only buy American but then we go broke importing things we do not have enough of, such and oil and ores.
Are we really prudent thinking we can maintain this American dream simply by limiting outsourcing?
Over two hundred years ago Adam Smith said that if another country can produce goods that were cheaper and a higher quality then your own country produced you should buy them.
Adam Smith? The great economist who recommended developing ones natural resources to their greatist economic usefulness? I don't mean disrespect Robert, but what are you doing in Oklahoma? They study Adam Smith there? I guess it is possible. I'm living in the deep south.
