Posted: Sep 24, 2010 4:59 am
Strontium Dog wrote:
Free trade eradicates those disparities. That "unfair advantage" a country has in the labour market disappears as their economy develops and catches up to everyone else. In less than half a century, South Korea went from third world to first world and now it's a G20 economy where workers enjoy the kind of legal protections that we do. And all because of free trade. Just compare it to its neighbour to the north, where trade is about as unfree as you can get, and you'll realise opposition to free trade isn't just nonsensical - it's criminal.
The question that Hugin keeps avoiding with his juvenile tactics is not whether free trade is good but whether that it is geninue free trade being offered, not one sided exchanges where the country in question must open its borders to Western imports and capital but only selected items can be exported in turn.
As illustrated by Father O'Reilly in this thread
post346614.html?hilit=globalization#p346614
He has already pointed that while South Korea benefits greatly from free trade with the developed countries, it has also implemented many trade protectionism measures in order to protect its local industries. Many of its advanced industries would unlikely gained its current status if South Korea had allowed Japanese and US technology imports right from begining.
Heavy tariffs and quotas are also charged on foreign beefs, rice, tea and coffee in attempts to protect its local market.
South Korea benefitted from free trade, that is true but it is hardly an explemary example of free trade by itself. The same as the US. Comparing it to North Korea is ridiculous because their differences could hardly be blamed on just the lack of free trade.