On 2012-03-16, at 3:16 PM, Somebody Somebody wrote:
> Marvin: So there's nothing inherently more astute about Asian bosses of big state-owned or private firms. Their needs require that they make concessions to their workers. US capitalists aren't faced with a confident, assertive working class in a rapidly expanding economy where permanent manufacturing jobs are plentiful, as they once were. Now American workers are scrambling to find work, and it is not they, but their employers, who are demanding and winning concessions in the ongoing struggle between the classes.
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> Yes, but why aren't the bourgeoisie in the U.S. presiding over a "rapidly expanding economy"?
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> Why is that capitalism, beyond a certain level of development, seems unable to continue to grow and progress as in the past?
But capitalism has been expanding in China and other emergent economies, no? Profits may be stagnant in the US, but the American, European, and Japanese multinationals have been reaping most of their earnings from cheaper labour and rapidly growing consumer markets in the BRIC's and other developing countries since the opening up of these new markets in the 80's, and especially after China's adhesion to the WTO. See, for example: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/08/business/la-fi-consumers-overseas-20110808