In my country...
We have a supermarket chain that's called "SPAR" their advertising jingle is "SPAR... Good For You"
Apparently they are one of the largest supermarket chains in the world.
In Afrikaans, the word "Spaar" might mean "to save" as in "to save money" - which is a great thing if you're buying groceries.
But the most important thing is that SPAR apart from being Good For You, because you save money on their special deals or on their inhouse generics, is also good for shopkeepers, because SPAR is a franchise based supermarket chain.
So in effect the local shopkeeper is still the local shopkeeper... which in today's world is surprising. But this local shopkeeper has the buying power of a huge international supermarket group, without needing to carry the large volumes, instead just taking his small slice of the entire order at the much lower discounted mass volume rate.
The reason this is important in light of LYMEC's campaign is that without Globalisation this would not be possible.
You see - because we dont have a global recommended minimum wage rate... sometimes its cheaper to get stuff made in other countries. and this allows for those countries to become specialists in producing those goods or services, which leads to the specialisation of training for their labour force and in turn to the improve quality and efficiency of production.
In the past global competition was about the major countries making everything they could, selling as much of it to each other and then dumping the rest in the developing world. but because Euro-American trade unions have priced their members out of their own markets - this has changed - and its a good thing.
As you sit there reading this - at least 10 things around you were made in a South East Asian factory - which is proof that you need globalisation. while your country could have manufactured those things instead of importing it the fact is that your country used to manufacture those things and couldnt compete with their SE Asian competitors.
Liberal economics is about growth but its also about pruning unproductive industries and redirecting that labour to more productive, globally competitive purposes.
Congratulations to LYMEC on this initiative... perhaps the other regions need to take up the cudgels alongside LYMEC on this issue?
From Pangea to the 7 continents... trade has always been global... dont be afraid of some half wit pseudo socialist who decries globalisation as the root of all evil in this world - HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ARE NOT LIBERAL - THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN LIBERAL AND THEY WILL NEVER BE LIBERAL - but by comparison Conservatism, Socialism, Nationalism, Fascism and Totalitarianism are all quite prepared to turn a blind eye to Human Rights Violations, just as long as production is good... proving that they are nothing more than ecopathic (like sociopathic but in the context of the economy) monsters.
:-) Good Luck, Onward Liberal Youngsters, Marching as to War, Human Rights Violators, Must be shown the Door...
PS. This reflex post does not reflect a recission of my retirement ;-)
Avishkar Govender
eThekwini-Durban
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
SADC - AU