I normally don't react to political posts, not because I don't have an
opinion, but because by the time I read the digest, the point has already
been made and I can stay in safe lurkdom. But now, after having read the
various opinions on the "political vegetables" debate, I still feel like the
kid in the class with her hand up in the air, saying "Miss, Miss" (or "Sir,
Sir", but most of my teachers were female), trying to find out more, or make
a point, or a bit of both.
I must say, like Mike, that I admire Colin for making his point so fully and
thoughtfully - I really like the way you logically dissect a point, Colin!
And with Kakki and others shedding some different lights on it, I think
we've got a very complete thesis on political actions, intentions,
ramifications, consequences and affiliations! Wow, isn't it good to do some
brain storming at times! But, but, Miss, please, I still have something
unresolved!
It started with Kakki and Bob, the point they made about it being the
correct moral or political choice to buy "made in USA". Brenda questioned
some of this but I'd like to question it more, and it's really my main
intention to get some more clarity into my own head.
First of all: I know the rich-poor divide does not just run between one
country and another (eg US rich, India poor) but that there are rich and
poor in every country. That relatively poor factory workers, being put out
of work in a town in the UK, for instance, can have a hard time. But why is
it wrong to allow, by buying cheaper foreign products, workers in, say,
Poland or China to also earn a living? Yes, I know, there is child labour
in many poor countries, the average wage is low etc, but surely overall it
is better that they manage to produce SOMETHING, to export SOMETHING rather
than nothing? Isn't that how e.g. Korea has worked its way up, how now most
countries in Eastern Europe are getting their economy going again which
means employment and improved living standards?
Why would it be better if you only bought "made in the USA" products, and we
here only "made in the UK" and my mother, as she always tried to do, "made
in Belgium"? Should we only care about the workers in "our" country?
Should we then forbid our own industries to export abroad, so that the
Russians can only buy "made in Russia" or the Indians "made in India"?
What's the point???
I think the solution should be much more that international companies should
behave (and be made to behave) responsibly, e.g. not allow child labour, pay
a decent wage (even if much lower than in our own country, is it a decent
wage locally?), be taxed properly on its profits, etc. This to me seems to
make much more sense than that we should all retreat to a smug "charity
begins at home" approach. True charity, or justice, fairness etc, should
not have boundaries.
Yes Miss, I'm sitting down now!
Lieve.
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