I personally think that a lot of this labor should be done in the United States. Honestly a pair of Jordans (standard hood wear) cost like $180 but only like $5 to make. I thought comparative advantage would result in lower costs for us? Am I missing something? How hard is it to produce goods in this country???
It would be easy...if the average American would accept the same pay as a third world factory worker takes home...you'd also have to give up and cushy pension you were hoping your employer would contribute to...no healthcare...lower standards in safety. Basically give up on anything the manufacturer would have to pay for to legally operate in the United States. THEN and only then will such manufacturing move back to the western world.
@Mike Vick Then suddenly millions will be without job in China and will be unable to support their families. I'm not saying it's optimal (not at all), but neither China or the rest of the world would benefit if production got moved to companies' home countries.
Why do you think B&O's products are that expensive? Danish wages aren't exactly small.. And nothing seems to work for them right now.
Moving jobs out of China and into America would be even worse for these people because you'd remove what little chance they have for making a living, or at the very least putting food on the table.
What most of us don't realize is that, regardless of the suicide rate, China is simply not at the same level as the United States or Europe when it comes to societal evolution. They are still in a phase that's very analogous to the industrial revolutions that swept the US and Europe. As we all know, those were also quite terrible times with regards to workers' rights. Does it make it right? No, but these are the growing pains of an industrial nation, and it's naive to think that they can be avoided.
Also, it's quite ridiculous to think that simply avoiding Chinese goods will put a halt on poor labor practices as a whole and that magically, the price of goods will skyrocket as they are only made in the US or Europe. Someone else will simply step up and try to fill their place as a supplier of cheap labor.
Also, there are plenty of nations around this world (Africa, anyone?) that have not even hit their industrial age and we are sure to see this behavior repeated time and time again as they enter a phase similar to China's.
@ebgolfin nothing would change. instead of an american or european company employing these people, some chinese company would move in to take their place.
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I personally think that a lot of this labor should be done in the United States. Honestly a pair of Jordans (standard hood wear) cost like $180 but only like $5 to make. I thought comparative advantage would result in lower costs for us? Am I missing something? How hard is it to produce goods in this country???
@Mike Vick who wouldnt want a profit of about 150$ and than have to reduce that to 50$ if the same was manufactured here.
@Mike Vick
It would be easy...if the average American would accept the same pay as a third world factory worker takes home...you'd also have to give up and cushy pension you were hoping your employer would contribute to...no healthcare...lower standards in safety. Basically give up on anything the manufacturer would have to pay for to legally operate in the United States. THEN and only then will such manufacturing move back to the western world.
@Mike Vick
Oh, and then the average American would have to accept that their favourite sneakers now cost a third of their annual wage.
@Tes yup thats exactly spot on
@Mike Vick Then suddenly millions will be without job in China and will be unable to support their families. I'm not saying it's optimal (not at all), but neither China or the rest of the world would benefit if production got moved to companies' home countries.
Why do you think B&O's products are that expensive? Danish wages aren't exactly small.. And nothing seems to work for them right now.
@Jakob
...the countries would benefit from the jobs back on their soil. Control of their own economy.
@Mike Vick
Moving jobs out of China and into America would be even worse for these people because you'd remove what little chance they have for making a living, or at the very least putting food on the table.
What most of us don't realize is that, regardless of the suicide rate, China is simply not at the same level as the United States or Europe when it comes to societal evolution. They are still in a phase that's very analogous to the industrial revolutions that swept the US and Europe. As we all know, those were also quite terrible times with regards to workers' rights. Does it make it right? No, but these are the growing pains of an industrial nation, and it's naive to think that they can be avoided.
Also, it's quite ridiculous to think that simply avoiding Chinese goods will put a halt on poor labor practices as a whole and that magically, the price of goods will skyrocket as they are only made in the US or Europe. Someone else will simply step up and try to fill their place as a supplier of cheap labor.
Also, there are plenty of nations around this world (Africa, anyone?) that have not even hit their industrial age and we are sure to see this behavior repeated time and time again as they enter a phase similar to China's.
The Chinese would be out of jobs? Boo hoo.
I care more about out-of-work Americans than out-of-work Chinese.
@ebgolfin
nothing would change. instead of an american or european company employing these people, some chinese company would move in to take their place.
@Elranzer
To bad every other country in the world thinks differently. At least Americans have welfare.