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This is in part a response to a comment by NewToCa in the market collapse thread that got me wondering about a subject I muse over from time to time. While economic in nature, there are many other aspects to the globalization and symbiosis of global markets and social structures that are not fully appreciated.
It has been said that it is good for America that economics have become globalized as there is greater potential for profilt and earnings, this is most certainly true. However I have to think what the effects are in the long term and here is one possibility that has entered my mind.
The earth is a given quantity, we can weigh it, measure it, and quantify the various resources in and on it. We have a good idea how much water there is available, we have an idea how much gold, aluminum, wood, and food are on hand. (give or take a few million tons)
As the world does indeed become a more singular community and I believe it to be somewhat inevitable that it does, what are the effects on America? As competition grows for the available resources, say for instance oil as this is one we can all relate to, then the value of that resource increases. There are those who will make money on this, especially if they have a lot of it, no brainer, but as more people compete for these resources, that ultimately means less for us. This would seem to apply across the board.
I see where America and its people having to do more and more with less, and in fact our standard of living will fall from where it is today. (I will let folks discuss the pros and cons of that among themselves) I would like to see an explanation on how this will benefit America in the long term.
Now in a purely economic sense, American companies and investors will at some point ultimately be making money by investing against their own national interest, in fact there are many who do this today. Is there a responsibility to the national interest that should be followed by business interest, as there have been times in our own national history that the citizens must act according to national interest or be considered seditious, or at the very least, unpatriotic.
When I think of it in long term measures it almost seems as though Capitalism is a myth that everyone can be rich, when in fact that is an impossibility. Our system of wealth distribution requires that some must have less in order for others to have more, no?
Last edited by TnHilltopper; 01-23-2008 at 12:51 PM..
Reason: horrible spelling today
This is in part a response to a comment by NewToCa in the market collapse thread that got me wondering about a subject I muse over from time to time. While economic in nature, there are many other aspects to the globalization and symbiosis of global markets and social structures that are not full appreciated.
It has been said that it is good for America that economics have become globalized as there is greater potential for profilt and earnings, this is most certainly true. However I have to think what the effects are in the long term and here is one possibility that has entered my mind.
The earth is a given quantity, we can weigh it, measure it, and quantify the various resources in and on it. We have a good idea how much water there is available, we have an idea how much gold, aluminum, wood, and food are on hand. (give or take a few million tons)
As the world does indeed become a more singular community and I believe it to be somewhat inevitable that it does, what are the effects on America? As competition grows for the available resources, say for instance oil as this is one we can all relate to, then the value of that resource increases. There are those who will make money on this, especially if they have a lot of it, no brainer, but as more people compete for these resources, that ultimately means less for us. This would seem to apply across the board.
I see where America and its people having to do more and more with less, and in fact our standard of living will fall from where it is today. (I will let folks discuss the pros and cons of that among themselves) I would like to see an explanation on how this will benefit America in the long term.
Now in a purely economic sense, American companies and investors will at some point ultimately be making money by investing against their own national interest, in fact there are many who do this today. Is there a responsibility to the national interest that should be followed by business interest, as there have been times in our own national history that the citizens must act according to national interest or be considered seditious, or at the very least, unpatriotic.
When I think of it in long term measures it almost seems as though Capitalism is a myth that everyone can be rich, when in fact that is an impossibility. Our system of wealth distribution requires that some must have less in order for others to have more, no?
IMO.......in the long run, the "effects" of Globalization will be FAR more negative than positive for America....as a SINGLE NATION.
It also encourages outsourcing along with too much population growth HERE in the US for starters.
Yeah, corporate profits definitely increase with far more global consumers, but this comes with too much of a negative overall, for individual citizens of America despite the prospects of choice, price and competition.
It, effectively allows the SALE of America.....to ANYONE with enough money!
MANY other reasons I don't feel like adding, but there are a LOT.
IMO.......in the long run, the "effects" of Globalization will be FAR more negative than positive for America....as a SINGLE NATION.
It also encourages outsourcing along with too much population growth HERE in the US for starters.
Yeah, corporate profits definitely increase with far more global consumers, but this comes with too much of a negative overall, for individual citizens of America despite the prospects of choice, price and competition.
It, effectively allows the SALE of America.....to ANYONE with enough money!
MANY other reasons I don't feel like adding, but there are a LOT.
We may just have to sell some of America to cover the growing debt.
I don't recall who said that, "capitalism is the unequal sharing of wealth, whereas communism was the equal sharing of poverty", but in either case, I don't see how either system can work in a pure form.
A lot of this comes down to technology, and how you view it as being able to contribute to our overall (worldwide) existence. If you view commodities as finite in nature, and we have more folks competing for dwindling resources, you have the problem of scarcity and pricing creating selectivity. If you view technology as the savior to fix limited commodity resources, life looks vastly different.
A major reason I have been a stock market investor for the past 30 plus years is I am a true believer in technology, and the ability to compensate for finite resources.
A lot of this comes down to technology, and how you view it as being able to contribute to our overall (worldwide) existence. If you view commodities as finite in nature, and we have more folks competing for dwindling resources, you have the problem of scarcity and pricing creating selectivity. If you view technology as the savior to fix limited commodity resources, life looks vastly different.
A major reason I have been a stock market investor for the past 30 plus years is I am a true believer in technology, and the ability to compensate for finite resources.
Yes I can certainly understand that and I also agree that it would definitely offset shrinking resources. For instance we can look at how much production we can get out of acre of crop land today compared to just 30 years ago as one example.
Even still, this relies on our ability to continually improve technology at an almost geometrically progressive rate, and this is something I do not believe can currently be had. At least here in America there is a frightening trend towards a reluctance to accept, invest, or progress new technologies and I can't seem to understand why. Alternative energy is one example of technology that I not only think we should be leading the world in but with our level of consumption in comparison to the rest of the world should almost be mandated.
Technology can only go so far... with our technology and in the future, it isn't likely to be self-sustaining when we consume more as the population increases. When India and China becomes completely industrialized they will be a heavier burden on the U.S. since they will probably own us and put us in sweatshops and slave labor for their increasingly better lifestyles... what a role reversal... China becomes the new U.S. and we become China... they probably buy our nukes first...
Somewhat THT, but the investment reluctance stems from the problem that companies have a lot of washouts in core R&D, and the trend towards increased shareholder participation in company management tends to minimize the willingness to take risk. Fortunately, the rest of the world is becoming far more risk oriented, and they are making a much greater investment.
Also, the Gov't funds some of this with matching funds, for things they can derive benefit. This is still proceeding at a good pace, so research which may not be readily apparent (such as space tech) is still ongoing and the discoveries frequently have secondary benefits to everyday living.
However, we are still moving forward at a pretty good clip technologically, and stuff like passing legislation increasing the CAFE helps too:
Technology can only go so far... with our technology and in the future, it isn't likely to be self-sustaining when we consume more as the population increases. When India and China becomes completely industrialized they will be a heavier burden on the U.S. since they will probably own us and put us in sweatshops and slave labor for their increasingly better lifestyles... what a role reversal... China becomes the new U.S. and we become China... they probably buy our nukes first...
Disagree, but worrying is good, it helps spur the urgency to invest in basic and applied R&D:
Richard Hamilton, Richard B. Flavell, and Robert B. Goldberg, "Plant Biotechnology: Advances in Food, Energy, and Health" , eJournal USA: Economic Perspectives, October 2005 (http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/ites/1005/ijee/hamilton.htm - broken link)
This is in part a response to a comment by NewToCa in the market collapse thread that got me wondering about a subject I muse over from time to time. While economic in nature, there are many other aspects to the globalization and symbiosis of global markets and social structures that are not fully appreciated.
It has been said that it is good for America that economics have become globalized as there is greater potential for profilt and earnings, this is most certainly true. However I have to think what the effects are in the long term and here is one possibility that has entered my mind.
The earth is a given quantity, we can weigh it, measure it, and quantify the various resources in and on it. We have a good idea how much water there is available, we have an idea how much gold, aluminum, wood, and food are on hand. (give or take a few million tons)
As the world does indeed become a more singular community and I believe it to be somewhat inevitable that it does, what are the effects on America? As competition grows for the available resources, say for instance oil as this is one we can all relate to, then the value of that resource increases. There are those who will make money on this, especially if they have a lot of it, no brainer, but as more people compete for these resources, that ultimately means less for us. This would seem to apply across the board.
I see where America and its people having to do more and more with less, and in fact our standard of living will fall from where it is today. (I will let folks discuss the pros and cons of that among themselves) I would like to see an explanation on how this will benefit America in the long term.
Now in a purely economic sense, American companies and investors will at some point ultimately be making money by investing against their own national interest, in fact there are many who do this today. Is there a responsibility to the national interest that should be followed by business interest, as there have been times in our own national history that the citizens must act according to national interest or be considered seditious, or at the very least, unpatriotic.
When I think of it in long term measures it almost seems as though Capitalism is a myth that everyone can be rich, when in fact that is an impossibility. Our system of wealth distribution requires that some must have less in order for others to have more, no?
Small farming is the answer in a nutshell! Strenghten communities, improve moral, decrease dependecy...ect.
Combine small farming with today's technology (computer literacy..ect., better farming techniques..)and you have a good chance at re-establishing this nation.
Small farming is the answer in a nutshell! Strenghten communities, improve moral, decrease dependecy...ect.
Combine small farming with today's technology (computer literacy..ect., better farming techniques..)and you have a good chance at re-establishing this nation.
Of course-IMHO!
Actually this is something I have been checking out and thanks to another member, OnTheRoad, I have been looking into setting up a local co-op. I am reminded by the "victory gardens" during WWII, and if applied to a bit larger scale such as communal gardening, it would go a long way in helping to offset transportation costs. Granted it is not meant to provide sustenance but merely to curb cost, as well as inspire a sense of community that is quickly evaporating in America. I'm all for it.
Take that one step further and apply it to a variety of cottage industries suited to a given area and the benefit would be even greater.
Our current system of goods and service distribution almost reminds me of the Soviet centralized method of doing business, and we all know how well that worked.
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