China and Sun Tzu...........................

[BlueStreak]

For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
--------Sun Tzu

Could the Chinese be using our own love of "Free Trade" against us? Inducing us to abandon our own manufacturing base by appealing to our insatiable lust for cheap goods? A bloodless war in which we are taking some crippling blows?
And most of us don't even know it's happening, don't care, or even think it's a good thing?

And didn't Mao once say; "To destroy a capitalist is easy. Simply appeal to his greed, and he will destroy himself."

What do you all think?

Dave

[merrylander]

I think you just won the kewpie doll.

[finnbow]

What do you all think?

I think Mao was smarter than Sarah Palin.

[piece-itpete]

Smart enough to kill millions.

Free trade should be predicated on complete reciprocity. China refusing to float the yuan amounts to illegal dumping of every single thing they sell.

It (the whole free trade thing, 'for free' for China) was certainly intended to bring China into the civilized family of nations. However it is time for them to man up. Hopefully it doesn't start a trade or cold or hot war.

Pete

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Free trade should be predicated on complete reciprocity.

It wouldn't be free then.

John

[piece-itpete]

Wiki says: "Free trade is a system of trade policy that allows traders to act and or transact without interference from government."

Artificially devaluing the yuan is government interference in a really big way.

But you are right, as there is not a single government on the planet that does not 'interfere' with traders actions or transactions one way or the other.

Pete

Pete

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Wiki says: "Free trade is a system of trade policy that allows traders to act and or transact without interference from government."

Artificially devaluing the yuan is government interference in a really big way.

But you are right, as there is not a single government on the planet that does not 'interfere' with traders actions or transactions one way or the other.

Pete

Pete

My point was much narrower in focus. There's no way that you could get voluntary cooperation from everyone involved in international trade to create a sysrtem that leveled the playing field in any way. That means there would have to be regulation and means of enforcement, be it through governmental or via a cartel.

John

[piece-itpete]

I see, I see, said the blind man to his deaf wife.

Originally Posted by Boreas

That means there would have to be regulation and means of enforcement, be it through governmental or via a cartel.

There's a difference between government and cartel?

Pete

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

My point was much narrower in focus. There's no way that you could get voluntary cooperation from everyone involved in international trade to create a sysrtem that leveled the playing field in any way. That means there would have to be regulation and means of enforcement, be it through governmental or via a cartel.

John

Like the WTO, I suppose.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by merrylander

I think you just won the kewpie doll.

Cool. I could put it on my dashboard.

Dave