>First you accuse me of resorting to reactionary
>anti-globalism because I have rejected macro
>policy, then you say my advocacy of macro
>policy is ignored. Your arguments are not
>improving.
Of course you haven't rejected radical macro arguments in theory. However, it is clear that no one is listening to you, leading you, EPI, and post keynesian AFL-CIO types to get in bed with Buchananites since aggressive trade nationalism is the only respectable politically viable way of dealing with real, as opposed to official, unemployment.
>Because Chinese labor standards are abhorrent.
>Trade unions are illegal, and worker activists
>do not enjoy elementary personal safety.
So until then, a narrow fraction of US labor keeps its monopoly over jobs in advanced industry and stands opposed to any FDI in China--such a sanction is obviously the last thing the Chinese working class itself would call for. Of course labor standards never automatically improve or simply happen through political fiat. They are a conquest of the working class which must thus grow in size and organization. Greater FDI allows the growth of the mfg working class which alone can manufacture militance especially if materially and politically aided by comrades the world over. Yet instead of such true intl comradeship--the great possibility that globalisation opens up-- US labor leaders instead enter a convenient alliance with US capital that fears tech transfer through FDI.
Of course having control over a potentially immense and growing market, the Chinese govt is in a better position to wrench concessions--not only to force FDI but even to dictate product lines, ensure local content requirements, tech transfer, etc. US corps usually gets their way with smaller and poorer countries, but China annoyingly asks for more. This is mostly the concern of US capital, plus the narrowest fraction of the US working class which has nonetheless been successful in setting the priorities for the EPI, AFL-CIO and Teamsters. That's the sad outcome of Seattle especially if we consider the needless anti Chinese sentiment bound to redound upon Asian Americans that has been whipped up. Anyone here ever heard of Vincent Chin?
Yours, Rakesh