> In a message dated 98-09-30 12:26:11 EDT, you write:
>
> << This is in Le Monde Diplomatique. Does US have
> anything like this?
> --mike >>
>
> A few weeks ago my Manchester Guardian Weekly, which includes a section from
> LMD as well as (for laughs) the Wash. Post, had in the LMD section articles by
> Noam Chomsky (on Indonesia) and Edward Said (on Palestine). As for the US
> having such papers, surely you jest. (Don't call me Shirley!) --jks
Its so annoying not having a decent press with a wide range of reporting here. Also exceedingly lacking is a good Labor press. Whats lacking not so much left wing or Marxist analysis by but solid news reporting with a wide ranging point of view.
I have another question. The published Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment rate for Japan is 4.2 percent which is the worse it has been since 1975 and unemployment has increased a couple of percent in two years. Is this really an accurate number? If so which I doubt its better than the US which is supposed to have a tight labor market. If not how should it be multipled to give an accurate response. Also does Japan have anything like unemployment insurance. If not, is the current level of unemployment leading to political unrest. Comparable numbers of much of Europe is anywhere from 7% for Germany to 12% for Italy. On the face of it if I was totally naive I would say the situation in Europe is far worse but Europe has a strong welfare state not present in the far east.
Do the Japanese public and elite feel that Labor discipline is more important than mass consumption in the midst of what looks like a depression. The Japanese are far from unsophisticated. One would think that their would be hugh cry for generous unemployment insurance in SE Asia which at this point would be to the advantage. Are the local governments of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia not competent enough to hand out money to their citizens. I assume the situation is different in the far East than the Soviet Union. I read the likes of Krugman, ... with complicated fiscal schemes to stimulate aggregate demand. I see the a possible political problem but I fail to see the subtlety of the "economic problem". This doesn't seem like Rocket science. An intelligent use of the dole is not going to overthrow Capitalism anywhere, as much as I would like to see something more humane replace it. Europe has been doing it forever and Capitalism is still going strong in Europe. No less a "socialist" as Otto von Bismark introduced a Social Welfare in Germany. Its hard to see why this is not being done is SE Asia.
--mike -- Michael Cohen mike at cns.bu.edu Work: 677 Beacon, Street, Rm313 Boston, Mass 02115 Home: 25 Stearns Rd, #3 Brookline, Mass 02146 Tel-Work: 617-353-9484 Tel-Home:617-734-8828 Tel-FAX:617-353-7755