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Ethically and pragmatically, that is a fantastic idea. Maybe countries should all be walled up. Google should work only in the US and there should not be any ex
by cscurmudgeon 9y ago
Ethically and pragmatically, that is a fantastic idea. Maybe countries should all be walled up. Google should work only in the US and there should not be any exports or imports.
Of course, colonialism did not bring any advantages to the West or cause bad things in Asia or Africa.
- rayiner 9y agoIt's not a matter of having more or less foreign intercourse. It's what is the guiding policy behind those policy decisions? In a democracy, the guiding policy typically should be "this policy will make the majority of Americans better off," not "this policy is dictated by economic theory," or "this policy is the right/compassionate thing to do."
- cscurmudgeon 9y agoThe thing is if what is good for people in the short term is not what is good for people in the long term, politicians will do the former. In a democracy, the guiding policy should be "this policy will make the majority of Americans better off in the long term"
- anigbrowl 9y agoYou're both right. Long-term benefit certainly should be the guiding policy, but as Keynes observed 'in the long run we are all dead.' Because many people are selfish and because political systems are relatively easy to game, short-term self-serving strategies often prevail. It's the same thing in dictatorships. Many dictators could use their highly concentrated authority to undertake large projects that would benefit their population significantly and leave a great legacy. But most of them don't because it's easier and more predictable to just maintain an iron grip on power and enjoy a life of luxury while suppressing any opposition. Strategically, many people prefer to be a big fish in a small pond than the reverse.