Slave labor = low wage (compared to USA) labor?
There is one big part of it. What's the benefit of a company to pay non-Asian workers to do less volume for more cost? None.
Good point. While protectionism might save a few jobs in a particular industry who complains about "unfair" trade when they have to compete against people who can simply produce the same for less, we force the entire country's standard of living
down at some big corporation's benefit. Many many more jobs are often lost in OTHER industries who depend on whatever product was protected. The become way less competitive globally of course. Even if there is a small net savings of jobs, the cost has been seen to be astronomical. Imagine costing the country $500k to save a 60K a year job. Well that is the reality.
Fucking look at Apple. They did more profit last fiscal year than Exxon Mobile and it's not like they are selling dodgy products. Arguably the best quality and most innovative product in CE ever - made by a step above slave labor. They didn't drop their prices when they switched from Cupertino, CA labor to dirt cheap China labor.
Ask yourself why should they lower prices. They don't need to. They are outperforming their competition (ie, doing good by the customer). They shouldn't be expected to lower price just because. Also ask yourself what they will do with the added profits. Will they keep it under the mattress? No. Invest it in a 10 year T-bill? No. Or use it for R&D so they can sell everyone a new amazing product, thereby making themselves richer, and the public satisfied in the process.
I honestly feel so bad for those Chinese workers. Do they have a clue how much or can even comprehend the value of the shit they made compared to their wages?
Since the introduction of markets to the Chinese economy, a million people per MONTH have risen out of poverty. Lets be glad about that. Chinese people are taking these jobs for multinational corporation because it is a better alternative than they can get locally.
What would happen to the world if there was some uprising in China and the end result is even a LITTLE work reform and labor laws that would look out for the worker?
Perhaps there wouldn't be as many foreign jobs there.
Maybe some of the German guys could speak on this, but doesn't Germany kind of get it as far as laborers and actually take care of them? IE - Mercedes. Compare the Mercedes workers in Germany to the ones in Georgia or wherever that one is at in the US? That's the problem.
I don't quite understand what you're saying here.
Whatever happened to the stay at home mom or dad? Not possible with the cost of shit and the fact that CEO's are making 1000% more than the made two decades ago and the cost of living increase for everyone else is dick both parents have to work. We wonder why kids are totally fucked up? They are being educated by people on financial aid or food stamps (god love em, my in laws are on food stamps - teachers have a tough ass gig and don't get paid NEARLY enough. What the fuck do most CEO's do? They have like 30 SVP's and directors and shit of every department of their companies so they really aren't the only shot caller. It's ridiculous.
Frankly, CEO's decisions can carry consequences to the tune of billions of dollars. It is difficult for the common man to comprehend this, and easy for him to blame the boogey man business executive. Does it not make sense that when someone's decisions in the office can result in gains or losses of billions, that the company would be quite happy to offer millions of dollars a year to a person they view as best qualified to run said company?
