But, unable to resist the two cents worth of email, I reckon that we might also like to consider another reason that so many chinese-manufactured goods is the abysmal level of environmental protection they have there. My take on labour is ;is 20 (or something) dollars a day no better still than 1? that would still make for a very cheap piece of equipment. And I recommend nobel-prize-winner Stiglitz's book 'globalization and its discontents' for an insiders perspective on the trickle 'down' effect, and whether it can still happen in the current international climate as it did in singapore and japan. Dan > I've spent the last 25 years traveling all over the world. Many third > world countries (ever been to Djibouti?). Trust me, they're way better > off than they were. And that one dollar a day... it makes them feel > much better than no dollars a day. Trickle down doesn't happen in a > year. It happens over decades. Japan _was_ dirt poor in the 50's. > They're sure not now. > > Jan > > > > On Tue, 2003-02-18 at 04:59, Daniel James wrote: >>> South Korea had the same situation into >>> the 70s and 80s. How do you suppose those countries got where they >>> are >>> now? >> >> That assumes 'where those countries are now' is somewhere where we'd >> want to >> be. Taiwan may be rich but that doesn't mean you'd neccessarily want a >> Taiwanese factory workers lifestyle. Or a Detroit one in the 1930's. >> >>> And remember $1US a day goes a hell of a lot farther in China than >>> it does in the UK or US. >> >> I'm sure that makes them feel a lot better. >> >>> Some people get exploited, some get rich. >>> This is the real world. >> >> This is the Fordist world. There are others, fortunately for me. I >> personally >> do get days off. I have a reasonable amount of control over my own >> life and >> work. >> >>> Remember though, the more money we pump into >>> China the better off those people will be in the long run. >> >>> From my visits there I'd say trickle-down doesn't seem to have >>> worked in the >> USA, so I don't see why it should in China either. I'm not saying >> don't buy >> stuff from there - it's hard to avoid - but just be aware of the >> economics >> that make cheap computer/home recording equipment possible. >> >> Cheers >> >> Daniel >
