Globalization

[Redleg]

It's close to Mexico.....

True which goes to show that NAFTA is also working along with Globalzation.

[Wardo]

1. How has G effected your country?

It is the only thing that prevented us from plummeting into an economical crisis, it has also allowed us to become the biggest meat producer/exporter in the world.

2. What effects do you think will come in the future?

As other sectors start to become affected by it, we're going to sky-rocket into economical expansion.

3. What do you want your politics to do about it?

Don't interfere, stop playing games, and negociate ALCA, it's about time we stop loosing and suffering because some politicians are using the subject for their own political interests.

[Franconicus]

1. How has G effected your country?
Well this is the situation in Germany:
Germany used to have a very good economy. After WW2 they managed to be the number 1 export nation, being the leader in mechanical engineering. Germany used to have a very good social system, that kept the social balance and social peace. So German society was very stable.
However, the oil crisis and the Japanese invasion was a shock and in some areas Germany never recovered. For example the mass unemployment could never be reduced.

Since the 70ies Germany had no good Kanzler (at least that is my feeling).

When G came Germany was not bad prepared. As export champion German companies already operated on a global market. Problems came because of the reunion and the unsolved old problems.

reunion - of Germany and Europe. The German reunion took a lot of money and the German government is brike now. (Although we had the lowest level of national debt in Europe before). The fall of the iron curtain created suddenly millions of low cost workers right in the heart of Europe. A lot of jobs just went east.

unsolved old problems: unemployment, age structure, integration of foreign workers

As a result of G the very homogeneous society broke in several parts:
- the rich ones, who could increase their profits
- the employees who still have their jobs, but have to work longer for less
- the people who lost their jobs or never had one.

There are also gaps between people from east and west, people with German and non German heritage. And there will soon be a gap between old and young.

All this increases the tensions in our society.

German government reacted with a decrease of social security and a shift of taxes fronm the rich to the poor.

It also decreased the expenses for military to a minimum. Well, after the cold war Germany does not need a big army any more.

2. What effects do you think will come in the future?
This will go on. There will be more diversity and more tension in the society. Radical parties will gain. Although Germany has no rebellion culture like the French times will become more uncomfortable.

Workers will have to work longer and get less. This will be a boomerang for industry because soon fewer people can afford goods like a Mercedes.
There are other potential effects coming on a global scale:
resources are getting tighter - and will cost more! Maybe there is a point were it just does not pay to ship goods around the world. Then you will have a local production for the local market again.
The weight of the nations will shift. Leading nations will loose their influence others will gain. This will increase the risk of new wars.
There are already movements against a common life style. Religious fundamentals are just one of it. Maybe they will increase.

3. What do you want your politics to do about it?
What can be done?
First of all they should fix the national budget. And they should stop charging the poor ones. If they go on there will be a lot more crime in Germany than we have today. Maybe one day people even want to carry guns
The government should also try to keep peacein a changing world. This might me more difficult than it may sound.
They should raise the education. In the last ten years the time that children spend at school and at universtiry was reduced to come closer to the international standard. I do not know what that is good for. Education is the most important resource we have - infact the only one!

[kiwitt]

Globalisation.

1) Business. Less cost = more profit.

Business locates to where it can produce the goods the cheapest.

2) Consumers. Cheap products = more choice

It's all about volume of units. Make lesser quality goods, where the cost to repair exceeds the replacement cost.

3) Workers. Lower real wages = more cost

Workers wage have not kept up with inflation, thereby everything costs more.

[Soulforged]

It is the only thing that prevented us from plummeting into an economical crisis, it has also allowed us to become the biggest meat producer/exporter in the world.

WOW this is new for me, I belived that we were the biggest exporters. What kind of meat is that?

Don't interfere, stop playing games, and negociate ALCA, it's about time we stop loosing and suffering because some politicians are using the subject for their own political interests.

How many people in your country are against the ALCA? Is there a great number of people making moves to try to stop it?

[Wardo]

It's a close match, I think depending on the statistic used you can switch ranks, I don't remember exactly which one was used, it's out there somewhere, but with the recent trouble and the huge international set backs that came from it the rank will certainly slide down a bit, temporarily of course, and well deserved, of course.

A poll on the congress and senate resulted in 78% of the interviewed politicians in favour of the ALCA, considering the party in power has about 20% of the seats or 30% with allies you can pretty much figure out the only people who DOESN'T want the ALCA is the party in power.

On the civil society there isn't a great number of people "making moves to try to stop it", the government tries everything they can yet their reach is small, and the "independent" opposers are more concerned in opposing ALCA to gain political visibility, make noise and get noticed than in the future of the country or in any serious discussion.

The fact is, when you tell people ALCA is not supposed to be what they paint it as, it can be a fair agreement where everybody wins, they change their opinion even if they believed in the propaganda before.

But if you offered an ALCA where there is a 90% tax on any product, tiny max-quotas for everything, and unlimited subsidies, 99.5% of the people would be against it (I'm leaving out the 0.5% mentally ill ).

So let it be known that when I'm speaking about ALCA I mean a fair, negociated agreement, not the worst deal possible.

[yesdachi]

One might want to try explaining why Toyota just built and is now running a brand new major plant in San Antonio, Texas.


If Gobalization of the market is such a bad thing.

We might get one too. Link.

[Soulforged]

It's a close match, I think depending on the statistic used you can switch ranks, I don't remember exactly which one was used, it's out there somewhere, but with the recent trouble and the huge international set backs that came from it the rank will certainly slide down a bit, temporarily of course, and well deserved, of course.

Eu so gosto da sua linguisa, con farofa . As for the rest we've the best meat.

So let it be known that when I'm speaking about ALCA I mean a fair, negociated agreement, not the worst deal possible.

As much as I dislike capitalism, I know that there's no possible way in wich *I* can stop it now, so I could accept the ALCA too if it's a fair deal.