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how can you support free trade and the free market?
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2010 Sep 8, 6:12pm 1,532 views 2 comments
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Good points for the case that free trade with China is not really free trade at all. My points.
-WTO intervention erodes sovereignty between trading countries
-Crony capitalism taking place. Governments and companies colluding resulting in a fixed market place with none of the benefits of real competition
-Chinese workers suffer under China's currency pegs. They can't afford or consume their own goods they produce (eg. Ipods, clothes, etc.)
-US gov't screws over future generations by selling China US debt which offsets trade deficits.
Thinking about it now both gov'ts screw over their own people.
zzyzzx
2010 Sep 10, 2:35am
So, it seems that there is a big disconnect here. Even ignoring labor laws, cost of living, and environmental issues, how is it possible to have free trade with china? How can anyone argue for free markets while also arguing for free trade with such a country?
IMO, no free trade with any other country that doesn't shoot itself in the foot (proverbially) with it's labor and environmental laws.
Free trade between countries with radically different levels of government intervention is not possible.
Foreign companies may not operate thir own businesses in china without partnering with local companies. Any industry that is dominated by a non chinese competitor is taken over by the government.
So, it seems that there is a big disconnect here. Even ignoring labor laws, cost of living, and environmental issues, how is it possible to have free trade with china? How can anyone argue for free markets while also arguing for free trade with such a country?
#environment