[quote=SD Realtor]
Brian I respectfully disagree with your rose colored outlook on globalization. The reality of globalization has clearly been contrary to your posting for more USA citizens over the past 30 years. That is globalization essentially levels the standard of living for the masses who are not rich or in a ruling class. In that respect our masses in the USA have quite a ways to come down. Until the working class ALL AROUND THE WORLD is essentially equal and labor costs are around the same, then capitalism will always dictate that you go to the lower cost center to build and obtain labor if the quality of the finished product is equivalent.
We have seen over the past 30 years, with increased globalization, the inequality of wealth in the USA has decreased proportionally. The middle class has shrunk, the lower class has grown, and the rich guys have all gotten richer. The quantity of rich people has not grown as fast as the quantity of poor people and probably has not grown as fast as the middle class has shrunk. We have seen many headlines about the increasing disparity of wealth in this country.
I don’t have clear evidence of that, and it is a speculative statement however I think it is pretty clear.
I am not saying capitalism is bad, however it is a consequence of it when you follow the string… for better or for worse.
The only “system” I know of where everyone wins, and everything gets better for everyone is a ponzi scheme.[/quote]
SDR: Another key element to the story that is either ignored or overlooked, is that, during the period from 1945 to around 1972, the US was really the primary global “manufacturer” when it came to autos, heavy industry, etc. Due to Europe and Asia being largely devastated in WWII, the US held a huge amount of the global manufacturing capability and that manufacturing capabilty shifted quickly from making war-fighting materiel to making consumer goods and the products to rebuild Europe and Asia. This fueled the rise of the middle class, especially those tied directly to the manufacturing effort in places like Detroit and Philly. When Europe and Asia “caught back up” in the period from the mid-1970s forward, you saw the impact on the US, especially in the manufacturing sectors. Jobs disappeared overseas, wages stagnated and entire sectors shrank exponentially.
We need to change our entire way of thinking and realize that we will not see a return of that “Golden Age” of manufacturing again (barring another worldwide war) and trying to sell the US populace on such a return is a blatant lie that both parties use when campaigning.
