CHINA SET TO SURPASS AMERICA AS WORLD’S LARGEST ECONOMY
By Ron Paul || Last week World Bank economists predicted that China would soon displace the United States as the world’s largest economy. The fact that this one-time economic basket case is now positioned to surpass the U.S. is one more sign of the damage done to American prosperity by welfare, warfare, corporatism, and fiat money.
Some commentators have predicted that China’s reign as the world’s largest economy would not last long. This may be true. While China has made great strides since adopting free-market reforms in the 1970s, China is still run by an authoritarian government whose economic policies distort the market in order to benefit state-favored industries. These state-favored businesses are often controlled by politically-powerful individuals.
What many of these commentators fail to notice is that the American government pursues many of the same flawed policies as the Chinese. For example, because of the increase in regulations, subsidies, and bailouts, many American businesses are putting more resources into manipulating the political process than producing goods and services desired by consumers. Many big businesses even lobby Congress and the federal bureaucracy for new regulations on their industries. They do this because big business can more easily absorb the costs of complying with the new regulations that force their smaller competitors out of business.
China is regularly criticized by American protectionists for subsidizing its export industries. However, the U.S. government does the same thing via programs such as the Export-Import Bank. China is also criticized for manipulating the value of its currency to make its exports more attractive to foreign consumers. This may well be true, but China is hardly unique in this respect. Throughout its history, the Federal Reserve has manipulated both the domestic and international economy, often working in partnership with foreign central banks.
The Federal Reserve’s inflationary policies benefit big banks, politically-connected businesses, and big-spending politicians at the expense of the American people. Anyone interested in helping improve the American people’s economic situation should focus on changing America’s monetary policy, not China’s.
Ironically, many of the same politicians who denounce China’s monetary policy benefit from Chinese purchases of America’s debt. If China stopped making large purchases of US debt, the Federal Reserve would be forced to monetize even more debt, thus risking hyperinflation. So the best thing Congress could do to make it more difficult for China to manipulate the global economy is cut federal spending.
One advantage China has over the U.S. is that the Chinese government does not waste money on a hyper-interventionist foreign policy. The United States government spent approximately $752 billion on the military in fiscal year 2013. In contrast, China spent approximately $188 billion. While China may be increasing its military spending, it has a long way to go to catch up to the United States.
It is difficult to see how the American people, other than those who run or work for the military-industrial complex, benefit from this spending. Military spending, like all government spending, hampers private sector growth by taking resources away from investors, entrepreneurs, and consumers while contributing significantly to the national debt. In contrast, a return to the policy of peace and free trade would allow those resources to be used by entrepreneurs to create new businesses and new jobs.
News that China is soon to surpass the United States as the largest economy in the world is a stark reminder of how the American people are harmed by the welfare-warfare state, crony capitalism, and fiat currency. The only way to avoid continuing collapse is to finally reject an interventionist foreign policy, stop bailing out and subsidizing politically powerful industries, and restore a free market in money.
Ron Paul is a former U.S. Congressman from Texas and the leader of the pro-liberty, pro-free market movement in the United States. His weekly column – reprinted with permission – can be found here.
123 comments
Rrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiggggghht. Here are the real reasons China is over taking the US:
1. Americans’ insatiable appetite for extra low prices which results in the loss of mom and pops and the orgy of big box stores.
2. They imprison, torture, under pay and abuse their labor pool to artificially keep their costs lower.
3. They have one party rule and there is no real exercise of freedom as we know it here.
4. Corruption…lots of corruption.
5. They artificially manipulate their currency and refuse to let it float on the free market.
6. America’s persistent mixed messages and dichotomous vision of who we are and where we’re going (i.e. chronic gridlock and endlessly polarizing political bickering).
1. So low prices are bad. Who knew?
2. They’re still basically a Third World economy with lots of state-owned industry perched on top — what’s “artificial” about that? Is the Ghanaian economy “artificial”?
3. Your point being?
4. And this corruption makes them MORE economically competitive? Who knew?
5. Re-read what Dr. Paul said about currency manipulation — and then look at the money supply numbers in the U.S. since late 2008…
6. Who knew?
Gasp! That terrible scourge of falling or low prices! The horror!
-_-
Gentlemen, you have missed the mark of my words. I was putting forward a few dot points meant to highlight the irony of some in the USA fawning over China’s economy, when in fact the Chinese are corrupt, brutal overlords who quash freedom and fully control the marketplace…i.e. not what America should aspire to. Yet, we buy up anything and everything that’s “made in china” just b/c it’s a few cents cheaper than US made stuff. After all. Freedom isn’t free….
Pass me the freedom fries champ.
Open the valve that lowers our standard of living and raises that of China and India – and let’s not vote on it first.
Who knew?
——
The fucking Republicans, that’s who.
1. Yeah. It’s only Americans that try to be the most efficient with their money. Fail.
2. Fair enough. It worked for us some time ago though didn’t it? Goods move to where they are the cheapest to produce.
3. We also have one ruling party. Some are Democrats, some are Republicans but they all work for the same corpotacracy.
4. Oh no, there is no corruption in the American system! Some would argue the whole of the financial system in America is corrupt due to the fiat currency created by the Federal Reserve.
5. See 4. Printing of money constantly devalues the currency. For example, since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913, the dollar has been devalued about 98%. The currency is no longer backed by anything, as it was released from the gold standard (Nixon administration if I remember right). That’s actually why the Chinese are hoarding gold right now, to offer the world a more reliable currency once they can get enough gold.
6. Ok, I’ll give you that one but usually the bickering is a result of the government spending to much money. If the government would spend less money there would probably be less bickering.
If Ron Paul views China as the Promised Land, then he needs to get into line to emigrate. The line is very short.
But not as short as it should be. Thomas Friedman has been at the head of that line for a while now.
If Ron Paul views China as the Promised Land…
Didn’t read the post, huh?
Sure he did, he just chose to insert stuff that’s not in it because he hates Ron Paul.
With certain people here, I’d question their reading comprehension and leave it at that. He’s not that dumb however, so the intent is mostly malice.
A highly centralized economy beats our free market economy. Gosh, that can’t possibly be…
Obligatory “not a true free market” post goes here, even though there is no country that exists today that a libertarian will say has a “true free market.”
*Jostles with Smirks*
TBG’s post is SUPPOSED to be here!!
The more interesting question is whether China’s economy really is “highly centralized” anymore. It was the market reforms implemented after Mao’s death that allowed the economy to grow. But it is pretty obvious it was China’s move to a more market based economy that allowed it to grow exponentially.
China’s economy is FAR less regulated than our own.
Yes, we don’t realize that all that air pollution is really good for us.
and yet we still have it…..
To the same degree? If yes, provide your info.
You miss my point, gov’t regulation hasn’t stopped it for us…you can make the case it’s slowed it down…but maybe it’s a matter of better technology.
Either way, we have it too.
The Chinese people are now demanding change and it’s happening. It’s not through government subsidy and legislation that they have the best alternative energy industries in the world. Our own societies went through the same transformation in the last 50 years. Pollution and environmental issues are secondary to keeping a roof over the family and feeding the kids. China has successfully created a powerful industrial and financial base and can now deal with the unfortunate side effects of industrialisation
Right. The Chinese own all the resources and have absolute power to give or withhold them, or to order individuals how to act. There are no property rights or individual liberty. But other than that, its pretty deregulated.
So when’s the last time you were in any major city in China?
I can tell you when and where I’ve been in both Shanghai and Beijing in the last 3 years.
I think you are speaking from something other than experience.
I’ve read first hand accounts of torture, forced abortion, oppression of Falun Gong practictioners, suppression of Christians, etc. They still run a gulag system for goodness sakes. But I am sure you have personally inspected the camps and can vouch for how lovely they are. Where did the China apologists come from all of a sudden?
“Where did the China apologists come from”
It’s not “apologists” you are talking with, it’s people either that have either been there or frankly(and no offense intended) have a better understanding of China than you.
First, the US gov’t imprisons FAR more people per capita then China. I think you should reflect on that with your ‘gulag’ comment. Additionally, the US gov’t has systemically developed an extra judicial system specifically designed to assure citizens outside the US suspected of crimes aren’t entitled to the same rights for US citizens.
How is that different from a gulag? (and I’m not even talking about the non trial killing of US citizens suspected of terrorism, including a 16 year old boy who’s father was a suspected terrorist)
All that aside, what I think you should also genuinely reflect on is the fact that not only is China’s economy less regulated(for those not considered criminals), but carries a lower tax burden-though that’s not universally understood for a variety of reasons or even reported on accurately-you have to travel there to understand and see it-tax evasion is rampant.
These are just the facts. You’ve gotten yourself all wrapped up(literally) in flags and propaganda. You should really just travel there yourself instead of assuming everything you read is accurate.
I really don’t get into the “which country is best” thing, it all seems like high school sports to me, which is fine for those people looking for entertainment. I just don’t want to make a serious decisions on that basis.
You watch too many Bourne movies. The government can only kill citizens waging active warfare against the US. I am no fan of the ever expanding use of drone strikes, and there is a legit concern over politicians broadening the definition of waging war. But we are arguing about how respectful the govt is being of our clear, undisputed rights. In China, citizens have no such rights to be infringed. Everything is subject to the state. Forced abortion, or just the fact that they purport to have the right to tell everyone how many children they are allowed top have, defeats the ridiculous argument that China is more free.
If you really think your experience interacting people living in a totalitarian state negates the testimony of those who have spoken out is just crazy. There is ample evidence of the human rights abuses in China.
And again, the prison population is idiotic. There are more people in our prisons than the Nazis ever put in camps or executed, but that is not a rational basis for arguing our prison system is worse than the Holocaust.
Don’t believe what you read about China. Go visit and you will see that there is far more freedom and economic liberty than our media will ever report. For a start 15% flat tax goes a long, long way towards giving you real options in your life. And as for our “freedom” to allegedly say what we like when we like…. a. it isn’t true, b. it doesn’t change anything, c. it destabilises our society. Personally I would be happy to officially lose the “right” to mouth off about a politician in exchange for a 75% cut in the tax I pay.
“I would be happy to officially lose the “right” to mouth-off impotently about a politician in exchange for a 75% cut in the tax I pay. ”
Then there are plenty of other countries in the world more suited to your desires governmental philosophy. So why do you live in the United States? Most of the third world would seem a better place for you.
Excuse me, “desires and governmental philosophy”. I can never figure out why people like you live in the US.
Cause it’s still better than most other shitholes around, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, as obviously indicated by the recent economic outlook in comparison to China.
You are talking about a country that still runs a gulag system. It imprisons and tortures those that speak out against or fail to comply with the dictates of the party. It controls everything to the level of how many children you may have, and even resorts to forcing women to have abortions. Any attempt to draw an equivalence between it and America, let alone follow your line in holding China up as an example for us to follow, is disgusting.
United States. 5% of global population. 25% of global population in prison. CL – You have it backwards.
I posted a response that is not showing up. I’ll try again:
What type of liberal self-loathing or moral deficiency makes one want to serve as an apologist for a totalitarian state? Comparing the greatest experiment in liberty in human history with an autocratic country run by a small group that are little more than gangsters is grotesque.
Even setting aside the moral objection, your prison comparison is idiotic. The size of the populations tell you nothing about how you become a prisoner or how you are treated once you become one in the respective countries. By your idiotic logic, America is worse than Nazi Germany because there are more people in our prisons than there were in the concentration camps.
American prisoners are entitled to due process and representation throughout the criminal justice system. Once convicted, they are able to challenge their treatment through civil suits and habeas petitions. Chinese prisoners, on the other hand, are subject to torture and forced labor making crap for export. So your analogy was both morally objectionable and logically inane.
We were by far the greatest experiment in history. We now do outrageous things for purposes other than liberty. We have our hands dirty in Kosovo because we backed up a branch of al queda, Albanians, who were attacking Russians. We did the same in Afghanistan. We backed Iraq in their war against Iran. We propped up dictatorships in Iran and Egypt. We seem surprised when our attack dogs turn against us.
Other than our support for al-queda type regimes when it suited us, if you pay attention to all the distribution of drugs facts and allegations than you know our government has fighting communism above poisoning our children. You can go to wikipedia to get the general picture, or google cia drugs.
Now there is no need for due process as Americans can be killed by executive order of the president. On top of all that our phones are bugged.
BTW having far more prisoners than China says a lot. Having 25% of the prisoners in the world says a ton. Having political prisoners held without due process says much more. Our torture practices are known world wide. If our government feels uncomfortable because of whistle blowers, we just send them somewhere else to be tortured.
Your ignorance is morally objectionable and logically insane. I would also suggest that while you might be correct about China, you also may be way off base as you likely got your information from our controlled media outlets which always twist the news. Also, let’s say China is worse than we are? Who cares? Why do you want to set the bar so low?
You have a warped view of this country. It is not perfect, but to convince yourself that a totalitarian government is in any way a valid comparison is irrational and insane. Hopefully, your last line is a sign you actually know that and are not a lost cause. Of course we do not live in a perfect country, because such a place is impossible if it is to be populated by actual people. But we have the good fortune to live in the best attempt mankind has been able to muster. Progressives seem intent on dismantling that, so my conclusion is subject to change over time. But at this point in time it stands.
The best attempt? Me thinks you have over much pride. Let’s compare us to Canada. Their people live better than we do, and they do not do all those evil things I stated above. Are they not free? If not please tell me about a single freedom you have that they do not.
Please do not refer to healthcare choices, because our healthcare is not better than theirs. The reason being that neither our healthcare nor theirs has much of anything to do with free markets. Ours is corporate cronyism gone nuts, which is why ours is so economically inefficient. It is the perfect blend of government regulation, systems, barriers to entry and so on to bleed the maximum money out of the American people while providing mediocre health services.
You can pick other countries. Tell me, who really does not have the right to bear arms? I am pretty sure hunting takes place all over the world. Freedom of speech? If you don’t mind the government here monitoring you I guess we have freedom of speech. When the USSR was monitoring their citizens, did you then think it was so innocent and for the people’s good?
There are many developed and relatively prosperous countries that have free people and if you do detailed comparisons you will be hard pressed to find areas where we really are “the best attempt” mankind has to offer. Find a country with free people who live within their means, are generally free without government interference and respect the rest of the world, and that country will be “the best”. We are not that country.
I have been out of town for a while, but was not surprised to come back to another diatribe against America. You obviously have an intense dislike of this country. Good thing it provides the liberty for you to express those feelings, unlike China. At least this time you picked a free country to compare us to, so this is progress.
Our healthcare is at least as good as Canada’s. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-gratzer/canada-health-care-system-ranking_b_2612868.html. The metrics we do terribly in are inescapably tied to statistical and demographic differences between it and countries like Canada that make comparisons difficult. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2011-10-03/infant-mortality-ranking-misleading/50647210/1. And we achieved parity without the socialist takeover of the health care industry. Healthcare costs too much in this country (largely due to market interference by the government), but I’ll take that over rationed care and wait times that are the worst among its peers. http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canada-ranked-last-among-oecd-countries-in-health-care-wait-times-1.1647061
And I would not get carried away about free speech in Canada. The country has speech codes that prevent “hate speech,” which has led to political commentators being prosecuted for saying things the truth of which were never disputed. It was enough to be prosecuted for saying true things that might hurt someone’s feelings.
We have the oldest written Constitution in the world, and it is hard to argue that this country has been instrumental in the development of freedom in much of the world. We still have the largest economy in the world.
The more interesting question is whether China’s economy really is “highly centralized” anymore.
Politicians are regularly bribed to hand out contracts or allow things, so government corruption has a bigger effect there than it does here in some regards. Also, the government likes seizing companies, especially media companies, and especially companies owned by ex-pats and the like.
Sure, they’ve relinquished a lot of control, but not in some areas of the market. And on the other hand, maybe they should exert control over some parts, namely enforcing environmental regulations.
This is why I don’t like comparing China to the US, though. China does so much wrong that trying to pick a piece or two they do OK just doesn’t really impress much.
Sometimes you are so off the mark it’s incredible.
You are bitching that China siezes media companies, while our own are pure fascist lapdogs of our glorious government.
Do you think the people are more likely to believe a government run propaganda house or are they going to believe the supposed “unbiased” corporate fascism shill houses of MSNBC or Fux News?
That’s why our fascism is worse than the obvious BS coming our of China’s Pravda.
Second, “China does so much wrong that trying to pick a piece or two they do OK just doesn’t really impress much.”, how can you say that with any seriousness when they are about to take the #1 spot economically?
They’d be crazy to take any of your advice. Whatever they are doing, they are doing far better than us purely by the numbers.
You are bitching that China siezes media companies, while our own are pure fascist lapdogs of our glorious government.
Sure, corporate media blows out the ass, but there are tons of resources available to Americans, namely the Internet, that aren’t “lapdogs” or extremely censored. At least dissent here is regularly available and in a variety of forms for those who look.
Also, as the Chinese likely don’t buy everything that comes out of state-owned media, the state pretty much takes over anything they don’t like (or hell, sometimes, things they do like) to drown out opinions and censor the living shit out of the internet. It is quite effective if you ask me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hooL98OwlMM
At least the ignorant masses here have alternate information available to them, and occasionally, even hear more than just a whisper here and there even if they aren’t actively seeking it out.
I wonder if you can access FITSNews in China? Probably not.
how can you say that with any seriousness when they are about to take the #1 spot economically?
Because the corruption, lack of freedoms, slave labor for hundreds of millions, human rights abuses, poisonous air and water, confiscation of livelihoods at a whim, and general thought control perpetrated by China, is not justified just because they manage to turn a profit from it?
They’d be crazy to take any of your advice.
Well, whatever. The government can sit back and let the smog get worse if they want. It is already so bad that you can’t see shit in front of you in major cities. It is already so bad that it crosses the ocean and hits parts of Japan regularly.
I’m betting the Chinese government is banking on the pollution to kill off some of its bloated population. Lord knows limiting how many babies you can have only goes so far. Maybe breathing in assloads of carcinogens on a daily basis will fix their population problem quicker? Or maybe they just don’t give a shit and just want the money. You know, which is why they shush anything that might get the Chinese to quit smoking, because it would hurt their wallets for people to stop buying cigarettes (and possibly live longer at that).
Yup, far better than us. Purely by the numbers.
Another dumbass comment Smirks.You are on a roll.
I doubt China would have banned Condi Rice from speaking at Rutgers cause she is a conservative black.You socialists are so intolerant of those you disagree with.
“I wonder if you can access FITSNews in China? Probably not.”
Have you never heard of a proxy server?
China’s government is so minute and ineffective compared to our own, it can’t do anything to stop anyone.
Their population understands proxies far better than our own.
It’s pretty rich listening to the “smog lecture” when we have the same in some cities, but even further the suggestion that they should tank their economy over it.
The short term problems associated with economic growth aren’t a reason to make everyone jobless Smirks. That’s a ‘progressive’ solution, not a reasonable one.
unfortunately, though they have access to our excellent ideas, and our extended commentary… as well as the opportunity to ask us questions directly and get real-time answers to their queries…
…they still tune in to world net daily and faux news to find out what they are currently thinking.
So the fact that they outnumber us 4 to 1, has nothing to do with it?
I agree they still control a great deal, but the point is that their economy took off at the precise point when they started loosening control and utilizing competitive measures such as regional competition.
Libertarians imagine the universe they live in is frustrated by forces that are not a part of the universe proper.
Go unfree markets!
We’re number one in income inequality! USA! USA! US… oh.
Yeah, everybody makes whatever unemployment pays, since Obama FIXED us.
Moron.We got 350,000 people a week signing up for a $300 a week paycheck (unemployment) and they don’t even have to get out of bed until it is time to use their EBT card and go grocery shopping (or sell it for .50 on the dollar) or until they have to use their MEDICAID card at the doctor for FREE medical services.
You brainless fool.Yes indeed.Income inequality?
$300 a week? Holy shit! BLING BLING muthafucka, I’M GETTIN’ PAID SUCKA! WHOOP WHOOP! Gonna buy me a yacht and a house in the Bahamas with that money! EBT will buy me caviar and Medicaid is going to pay for my doctor bills!
It couldn’t be that food stamps and Medicaid helps the elderly, the disabled, and children of poor families more than welfare queens! It couldn’t be that a good number of those on unemployment genuinely need the help!
Those poor, poor billionaires, struggling to make the house payments! They can barely afford to keep the electricity from being turned off! Man, they even have to go to food banks just to get a meal on the table! Woe is them!
Must be a good deal.Despite many jobs being available they choose this route.
It is a pretty good gig when many can make several hundred more a week working ‘under the table’.
Wow, what a revelation! I thought you guys were saying Obama and the blacks had wrecked the economy and there were no jobs.
Don’t try to reconcile Teanut narratives. It can lead to vertigo.
No one said anything about that. Go away
yo brah, go to cuba. gonna have some equality there B|
Why not fix and stop the ability of people to become welfare queens?
This is not a scenario where we must accept the current welfare system or have none at all. There is a way to insure the money gets to where it needs to be without allowing the widespread abuse of the systems.
Another thing.You sound like my oldest son that has been brainwashed at ‘university’ and espouses the same socialist world-view as you
Somehow he has come to the conclusion that he grew up poor despite living in a $165,000 home at the beach and attending a private school.That is what liberalism/socialism teaches.
I’m glad your son has gained enough intelligence to realize that his dad is a lemming/pawn to the 1% plutocrats, and that he has more ambition for himself.
You know, I used to ask myself when I went to university, “What are these rich kids trying to pull off here?”; then, when I got past the whole “rediscovering your roots” phase, I started asking “Who are these rich kids trying to develop a sense of empathy”? Of course in America there is the mythology of the “self-made man” and “rags to riches”; of course in America (among other places) we are taught is that it is shameful to be poor. Mythology and shame (and an obliviousness to one’s own class) conspire together to create self-loathing and guilt but little else: they have certainly not been useful in engendering effective political action. There is nothing shameful about trying to develop a broader world-view.
There is nothing shameful about trying to develop a broader world-view.
——
I think it’s funny watching rich kids listening to the blues.
has been brainwashed at ‘university’
——–
the reality-based community reclaims another lost soul.
Yawn….If you pride yourself on being an out-of-touch outcast, like RonPaul and FITS, at least you can report something that is not stale, and predicted (by people like me) years ago.
In other words: If you are trying to be unique – appealing to those who want to be different, just for the sake of being different – just telling us what we already know makes you look square, slow and stupid.
In a country being run by a Failed and @$$-Backward administration, being RIGHT (as us Conservatives are) is DIFFERENT…and crucial at this point….
I agree with you Tango. I knew the Bush war was a farce, alot of republicans jumped ship. Republicans just have that ” I want a war ” attitude. You agree, the trillions blown for nothing, may have permantly damaged the US ? A very sad war for republicans, the US voted none other than Obama, 2 times !!!! I can only hope republicans, as I knew them, learned from this.
STFU you Tired F*#king idiot.
Bush has been gone for years…even that Dumb F*#k president, you routinely suck off, has figured out how Stupid he is for trying blame Bush, for the total Failure you are…
PS: Democrats stood in line to vote for Iraq. The UN threatened in resolution 14 times….So you look even more like a $#!* head (is that possible?) playing an effeminate, Muslim @$$-kissin’ pacifist…
And: You anti-American piece of $#!*…Why are you and Obama protecting Maj. Nadal Hassan???
Why we’re no longer number one
Might also have something to do with the fact that they’ve got over 1.3 billion freakin’ people over there–more than 4 times our population.
No.You elect TWICE, an American hating pResident, raised,educated and trained by Marxist parents,teachers and preachers whose ONE goal is to get even with this country for the perceived wrongs he believes this country has inflicted on others by destroying its moral/cultural foundations AND our ECONOMY (Obamacare etc…).
That is why we are no longer number one.
Actually I think you are the America hater.
seconded.
thirded
Take off the tin foil hat
Is there ANY nutty lie that you won’t fall for, as long as it smears Obama?
How is it that China can grow it’s economy to be larger than ours, while there economy is MORE government controlled than ours, if said control is supposedly diminishing our economy?
Don’t discount the billion Indians.
Anyone who doubts the existence of God only needs to consider conservatives in a universe without a hell.
I see the ‘gentleman jack’ apparently got ya early this morning.
“What’s the difference between capitalist hell and socialist hell.
In capitalist hell, the damned must lie on a bed of nails while a steam roller drives over them. In socialist hell, it is exactly the same, except sometimes there are no nails, sometimes the steam roller is broken and sometimes the driver is too drunk to work.”
“What’s the difference between capitalist hell and socialist hell.
——
certainty
This went over SS’s head. You will have to be more explicit. You can’t be too vague with the TPs.
This went over SS’s head.
——
…presenting Xeno’s paradox for conservative heads.
China spelled backwards is Anihc – which in Navajo means “hey pale face, you are fucked”
The far right can’t see beyond their own philosophy. So convinced are they that they are right that they ignore all of history to the contrary. There is an excuse for every failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and an explanation of why the success of any thing else is an abnormality. They cannot accept that the only choices are NOT pure socialism or pure capitalism.
They lament the number of people in poverty, and attribute that to our increasing socialism, despite the fact that a far greater percentage of the population lived in poverty when pure Capitalism reigned supreme in the late 19th century. They ignore the fact that as the power of the industrialist waned, and as their percentage of the nation’s wealth fell after the great depression the country became less focused on the needs of the wealthy and the middle class prospered. They ignore the fact that as those same groups have reasserted their power and as we once approach pre-depression levels of wealth inequality, poverty is once again on the rise.
This is why the success of Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century, is so disturbing to those on the far right with the education to understand it. It shows that historically the pure free markets they crave have not produce wide spread prosperity. In fact they generally lead to a greater and greater concentration of wealth and power into the hands of fewer and fewer people.
The have conjured this theory in their on minds that everyone who is poor achieved that state because they choose to be poor or because they are lazy. They imagine that wealthy people have all legitimately earned their wealth. This, despite the fact a majority of them have earned very little. They got their wealth the old fashioned way, they inherited a fortune and surprise, surprise it continued to grow. They actually worship at the feet of the wealthy entitled, those who inherited most of their wealth but regale them with stories of how they earned their money and everyone can bee as wealthy as they if they will just work hard. They ignore the advice of the wealthy who have actually earned their wealth, like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who they label liberals, because they challenge their theories.
If you doubt the level of their self delusion, one need only look a their response to this article. To them there is only one only possible answer to China’s success. They must be more capitalist than we are. Its the only possible answer.
The far right can’t see beyond their own philosophy.
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Their philosophy is their eyes.
Believing that a free market is the most just system there is does not = far right. Geez.
Well that depends on what you mean by a “free market” doesn’t it?
When I use the words “free market”, I mean exactly that. I’m an anarchist, so I don’t believe in government participation of any kind. No picking winners or losers. No packing regulatory agencies with former industry executives. Nothing. Just people trading goods and services through voluntary cooperation.
So, yes that makes you far right. Making sure people follow rules is not picking winners and losers. And no, I don’t believe people can be trusted to not cheat and steal, and not provide defective products in a totally voluntary system. Under anarchy organized criminal reign supreme.
excuse me “organized criminals”.
Well to bad the majority of sane people believe in the free market not anarchy.
And no they are not mutually inclusive.
Actually I think a majority agree with me. We need regulated capitalism, not pure socialism or pure capitalism. That involves regulated free markets. But you either can’t read or don’t want to bother. Easier than to think about it I guess. Fox will tell you what to think so why bother.
the free market is like gravity, right? It just *is*
“FAR” is a relative term.
LSD, man… the mind is so close, yet so far away!
Farrr market, man!
Yes, relative to the center. Indicating the farthest edge of right wing political and economic philosophy. Even though the right can seem to understand there is a difference between our political system and our economic system.
Excuse me, “can’t seem to understand”.
“Pure” Capitalism has NEVER ruled here. Ever. We’ve never had a Constitutionally-backed market free of government intervention. Ever.
Perhaps i should have said Laissez Faire Capitalism, not “pure” Capitalism. But The late 1800s is as close as a government can get to pure Capitalism, in that even government was for sale to the highest bidder. Much as it is becoming again today.
Of course you are typical of the far right in your belief that nothing is good enough except no government at all. You live with the delusion that would lead to some type of Capitalist Utopia, with wide spread prosperity, justice and fairness for all. History says otherwise.
While I am appreciative of your clarification, you’re prejudicial in your assumption that I am “far right,” especially if you’re using the common definition of it. Not even close.
I was merely highlighting the fact that government interest has always existed in business. The late 1800s are a classic example of what happens when government fails to protect the Constitutional rights of all Americans in favor of giant corporations and its influences.
I apologize for not understanding your point. I agree with your last point. However, in a nation where our Supreme Court has just ruled that money equals speech, I do not see the Government doing anything to protect the interest of the average citizen. I feel we are plunging backward in history.
I completely agree, and Dr. Paul highlights a few reasons why we are going moving forward.
Sorry I can’t go there with you. You see the problem is Ron Paul and I do not agree on what the Constitutional Rights of Americans are and which ones are most important. He thinks the interest of the Government should be limited to protecting property rights. All other rights take a back seat to money and property. So I consider him far more in the camp of the SCOTUS than with me.
Wow, have you ever listened to or read anything by Dr. Paul?
Indeed I have. If they can’t afford health care, let them die.
That’s a pretty cold-blooded attitude. I hope you don’t ever get sick without healthcare that you can afford, but I sure wouldn’t want you to die.
Uh, i was pointing out Ron Paul’s position in the Republican debates. My point was he puts property rights ahead of all other rights.
Oh, I get it first you were pretending to be ignorant and now you’re pretending to be cold-blooded?
Hell, I’m an anarchist and I get accused of being “far right” all the time. All you have to do to be considered “far right” is not be a commie.
Your comment is nonsense and contains many demonstrably false and already-refuted cliches. And it’s obvious that you don’t know what free market capitalism is.
http://tomwoods.com/articles/
Really, so why don’t you define it for me.
You think support of pure capitalism is a view held only by the politically conservative?
Brain washed much?
“China is regularly criticized by American protectionists for subsidizing its export industries. However, the U.S. government does the same thing via programs such as the Export-Import Bank.”
It’s not a subsidy if the bank returns a profit of 1.6 billion last year.
Careful, you are getting dangerously close to a Progressive thought. Get the behind you Satan.
You’ll need to do a complete audit before you can arrive at that conclusion
Ron Paul is a Republican.
QED
It’s so simple, isn’t it? Four legs good, two legs bad, hey Mr. Ewe.
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.
Jupiter is a larger planet than Earth. does that put us all in danger? so many non-sequitur, can’t get to them all. Authoritarian rule helps China grow, but it destroys America? Military spending takes money out of the economy? we’re not importing kalashnikovs and sikorskys. most of that money gets spent right here. And there are 1.2 billion chinese. even Fits understands the value of a large workforce.
Why would anyone want to work for nothing ? That is the question ?
It should have been Ron. When you are running to spend every paycheck for groceries before it even hits your bank, think back on your decision to vote for Obama.
If the U.S.A does not like communist then why the government of U.S.A allows the citizens to buy from China and not from Cuba? Or why USA likes made in china? I USA really loves made in USA then all brands must be made in USA. But I guess it’s like the Olympic team had its cloths made in china. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/the-bizarre-political-history-of-where-team-usa-s-olympic-gear-gets-made-20131029
I’m glad JFK was a Berliner!!
Deep inside JFK was the greatest republican with executive order 11110.
Anyways I’m just a programmed computer.
Everyone who is concerned about what is going on in Washington D.C. should read The Contract On The Government. It is the book the politicians and bureaucrats DO NOT want you to read. Find out more here: http://www.thecontract.us/
Why does Ron hate America?
start learning mandarin now chumps. you are all fags
I still remember when saying shit like this would get your ass kicked.
If we are tracking freedoms gained versus freedoms lost, I think we still come out on the losing end, but your point is taken.