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0 sats \ 4 replies \ @Solomonsatoshi 7 Aug \ parent \ on: To tariff or not to tariff econ
Exempting tariffs on some products which US does not or cannot produce does not disprove that tariffs generally are designed to protect un-competitive US manufacturing. That is simply flawed logic.
US is investing in some rare earths processing but if you read about the topic with any depth including the article I linked earlier you will understand experts say it will not be competitive and will take decades to get supply of the full suite of rearte earths essential to military and high tech application- at that would come at huge cost to government and is impossible without subsides! The 'free market' cannot and will not fix this problem despite your blind faith in it.
US imperialist strong arming other nations has been absolutely fundamental to current US wealth and dominance...ever since and increasingly since the Banana Republics era set the pattern. Post WW2 US took over the operations of the Britsh Empire in a relatively peaceful transition- do not expect Chinas rise to dominance, if it occurs, to be so amicable.
Your blind faith in free markets solving all problems is flawed- just look at history- there has never been sustained wealth anywhere without government leadership, providing property rights, security, strategy and infrastructure.
Exempting tariffs on some products which US does not or cannot produce does not prove that tariffs are designed to protect uncompetitive US manufacturing. That is simply flawed logic.
Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. That's the opposite of what you where affirming at first.
is impossible without subsides! The 'free market' cannot and will not fix this problem despite your blind faith in it.
I just showed you it's already happening. The "free market" is about pure reality only. I just showed you that what's happening, in real life, is the opposite of what your articles cite in imaginary theory. Imaginary theory is for socialism and state-driven policies. Free market is about real life and actual facts.
ever since and increasingly since the Banana Republics era set the pattern
Please give me an example. Harvesting bananas once from Guatemala 100 years ago do not justifies the US today's wealth and dominance. Give me a modern day example.
do not expect Chinas rise to dominance to be so amicable
It will have to or it will fail. And as of now, in its actions, China shows it understands it can only rise on amicable terms.
just look at history
I did, that's why I know from the facts that only free markets are capable of producing wealth. Anything that says different is invariably government propaganda, and indeed comes only from government. Stop reading government propaganda, start reading history books, and you will see by yourself.
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The article I referenced refers to rare earth processing/refining being uneconomic in the west compared to Chinas efficiencies. Where have you shown the free market developing refining capacity for these rare earths without the help of government subsidies- such developments simply do not exist or are so small they will never credibly provide a viable alternative to the multiple rare earths Chinas mixed economy produces as part of it strategic mercantile government led economy. Please read the article about Japans experience with this and how now, 15 years later they have not developed their own supplies but are instead dependent upon China for most refined rare earths supply.
China is increasingly bold in its approach especially since Trump was forced to back down on his absurd 100+% tariffs. As soon as the Chinese responded by cutting of supply of rare earths Trump was forced to go begging for a return to more amicable negotiations- it is USA that is now on the back foot in many ways- with its decimated productive and infrastructure capacity and its chronic addiction to debt- while China continues to enjoy Trillion dollar annual trade surpluses compare to USAs 50 plus years of chronic trade and fiscal deficits.
Yes free markets do produce wealth- but nowhere in modern history has enduring wealth and prosperity existed without strong stable government, rule of law and centralised power projection enabling resource and market access.
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The Party told you to ignore the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
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Am certainly not beholden in any way to the CCP.
You are now just shooting the messenger instead of addressing the facts and issues.
Am born and bred westerner but just appalled at the inability of most in the west to understand what is happening- to ignore it is to betray any fealty you may have for western values like free markets and democracy, as compromised as they are in practice!
The west is IMO sleep walking toward losing its hundreds of years of global hegemony.
Remember 6-700 years China was the most advanced and wealthy economy and government in the world.
I am much more comfortable with western values and culture ( I understand our culture better whereas Chinese culture is quite foreign) but not to the extent that I cannot see our decline and Chinas rise is a real current trend.
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