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> So paying people more and giving them jobs destabilizes the local economy because these people now have money and spend more on housing and other items? And i

by Sacho 10y ago

> So paying people more and giving them jobs destabilizes the local economy because these people now have money and spend more on housing and other items? And if they're paid less, they're being exploited? You're not paying all people more, just some of them. The rest get to enjoy rising prices for good housing and luxuries that they won't be able to afford with their local pay. > Doesn't the government prefer rich denizens and a higher tax base? Isn't this how education is funded and higher salaries and tax base partially the point of investing in education? Unless you're planning to turn all Nigerians and Kenyans into software developers, this isn't really the case. Just higher taxes may pay for the education the government invested in you, but the investment is made with a hope that you would do more than break even. Without skilled technological leaders driving progress forward(because they're busy driving someone else's progress forward), you'll stagnate, which means the costs of global goods gets worse for your population, > Aren't digital good mostly global in nature? Don't poor countries benefit from Facebook/Google/Apple/etc? Yes - which is why most poor countries can't afford them.

bko 10y ago
> You're not paying all people more, just some of them. The rest get to enjoy rising prices for good housing and luxuries that they won't be able to afford with their local pay. Correct, gains are never distributed equally. This has been tried and failed. You can keep everyone poor or allow some to accumulate wealth. In regards to modern technology not benefiting poor countries, please note that more people in Africa have a mobile phone than access to electricity [0]. Across the seven countries surveyed, roughly two-thirds or more say they own a cell phone. Ownership is especially high in South Africa and Nigeria, where about nine-in-ten have a cell phone [1]. I think you're understating the positive impact western technology is having on transforming the lives of poor Africans. [0] http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/mobile/africa-mobile-opinion/ http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/mobile/africa-mobile-opin... [1] http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/04/15/cell-phones-in-africa-communication-lifeline/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/04/15/cell-phones-in-africa-co...
- MrsPeaches 10y ago
  More people have access to mobile phones than running water, basic drainage or paves roads. Mobile phone penetration in Africa now stands at 93% [1] I would however question the extent this is driven by Western innovation though. I would argue that this driven primarily through the ability of the Chinese to make technology for a significantly lower cost. [1] http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/africa/africa-afrobarometer-infrastructure-report/ http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/africa/africa-afrobaromete...

by Sacho 10y ago

bko 10y ago

> You're not paying all people more, just some of them. The rest get to enjoy rising prices for good housing and luxuries that they won't be able to afford with their local pay. Correct, gains are never distributed equally. This has been tried and failed. You can keep everyone poor or allow some to accumulate wealth. In regards to modern technology not benefiting poor countries, please note that more people in Africa have a mobile phone than access to electricity [0]. Across the seven countries surveyed, roughly two-thirds or more say they own a cell phone. Ownership is especially high in South Africa and Nigeria, where about nine-in-ten have a cell phone [1]. I think you're understating the positive impact western technology is having on transforming the lives of poor Africans. [0] http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/mobile/africa-mobile-opinion/ http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/mobile/africa-mobile-opin... [1] http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/04/15/cell-phones-in-africa-communication-lifeline/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/04/15/cell-phones-in-africa-co...

MrsPeaches 10y ago
More people have access to mobile phones than running water, basic drainage or paves roads. Mobile phone penetration in Africa now stands at 93% [1] I would however question the extent this is driven by Western innovation though. I would argue that this driven primarily through the ability of the Chinese to make technology for a significantly lower cost. [1] http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/africa/africa-afrobarometer-infrastructure-report/ http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/19/africa/africa-afrobaromete...