Is Wal-Mart good for America? I am beginning to think we can not survive on Wal-Mart jobs alone. Is lowering the cost of goods, yet, mostly providing low-income jobs really the direction we want to go? Where our standard of living going? Is it improving or declining? Is this reason for concern?
I am all for fair trade, but I don't think fair trade is trading with countries who have no regard for human rights, human safety, sweat shops. I really think it is time we set standards for what we allow in the country. Is our government being bought off by the Chinese?
On the other side, I have bought things at Wal-Mart that have been made here. They sell the toys that are made less than 2 miles from my home.
I worry about what types of jobs are going to be around in 10-15 years from now. What is the future going to be like for my children? Should I be teaching my kids 5 languages just so they can leave the country and find a decent job?
Other interesting reads:
America's Maligned and Misunderstood Trade Deficit
Just thoughts,
Rachel
Good question.
ReplyDeleteWal-Mart in Canada is killing Canadian owned/based businesses.
They just can't compete with the prices and the variety of goods available. Small business are almost excinct.
How good can that befor our economy???
We are the agents of our own economic demise.
ReplyDeleteBecause we're all under financial pressures, we all bow to low supermarket prices, when we know that a lot of the goods are made in poor countries, with poor labour laws.
The truth is, in 15 years time, there will be no manufacturing left in my country. Indeed, most of it is gone already. Britain is a service industry. But soon, the money will run out and we'll be a third world country. There'll be total anarchy.
I have noticed that where I live there are a lot of specialty shops opening up that are locally owned.
ReplyDeleteThe chains stores that Walmart put out of business are being replaced by smaller shops. Since they are local, I like that.
I do shop at Walmart and a number of equally aggresive chain stores.
The low wages paid in all these stores concerns me but I think that all retail shops have always paid low wages..
I have been trying to post a comment for 3 days now, I hope this finally works!
ReplyDeleteNatty - The same thing is happening here. Lots of small buinesses are closing. Even the big companies that support of local economy are not doing well.
Dan - I think you have a very good point.
Happy and Blue 2 - Hopefully what is happening where you are starts happening here soon. Your right retail has always been a low paying job.
Globalization!
ReplyDeleteDon't know where it will take us, there is no example in history either. This uncertainty definitely makes one uneasy, but I guess, if we read history many things like industrial revolution, imperialism, capitalism, communism etc. all have happened for the first time when they happened and large groups of people felt nervous of those developments.
But could they stop them? Neither could we.
Globalization works both ways, what I mean is currently manufacturing in US is not economically competitive to that in 3rd world country like China. But if US loses jobs in large scale and people are forced to take lower pays, their purchasing capacity gets reduced. And US being major importer for China, this in turn would affect Chinese exports and they will incur huge losses and Chinese manufacturing wouldn't be that competitive anymore.
What I see here is a sort of balancing of world trade will occur. Yes, we will see lots of people migrating to other lands than their lands of birth for better opportunities.
VT - Interesting point. I have never thought of it that way.
ReplyDelete