4 ms·

On the other hand, Japan had half the population of the US while China has four times the population. The tendency of countries to converge on similar producti

On the other hand, Japan had half the population of the US while China has four times the population. The tendency of countries to converge on similar productivity was working against Japan but is very much working for China.

throwaway5752 8y ago
Can't be repeated enough. Totally incomparable populations, natural resources, military size, and monetary situation between yen and renminbi. It's quite embarrassing, really, because the frequency of this comparison is almost certainly due to American perception of ethnicity. You don't see India/80's Japan comparisons or Brazil/80's Japan comparisons as often.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- peteretep 8y ago
  > the frequency of this comparison is almost certainly due to American perception of ethnicity. You don't see India/80's Japan comparisons or Brazil/80's Japan comparisons as often. Isn't it more likely that that's because neither India nor Brazil have economies anywhere near the size or importance of America's, and don't appear to be on any kind of trajectory that will get them there?
clairity 8y ago
maybe in a decade or two, folks myopically focused on building walls and fighting invader-terrorists will realize that immigration is a net good, and the principle way to keep china in check as it grows larger and more formidable (not as a threat but as a competitor). hopefully it won't be too late. think of the children.
- artificial 8y ago
  The argument being made conflates illegal and legal immigration. American legal immigration continues to exceed one million annually, easily dwarfing any other country.
  - clairity 8y ago
    it doesn't, but regardless, the cia estimates US net migration was 3.9/1000 in 2017, which is 29th. the point was, why shouldn't we take every (legal) immigrant who will make this a stronger and more vibrant country? https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2112rank.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/...
    - linksnapzz 8y ago
      "Stronger" is...vague, and "vibrant" is very much subjective.

throwaway5752 8y ago

Can't be repeated enough. Totally incomparable populations, natural resources, military size, and monetary situation between yen and renminbi. It's quite embarrassing, really, because the frequency of this comparison is almost certainly due to American perception of ethnicity. You don't see India/80's Japan comparisons or Brazil/80's Japan comparisons as often.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
peteretep 8y ago
> the frequency of this comparison is almost certainly due to American perception of ethnicity. You don't see India/80's Japan comparisons or Brazil/80's Japan comparisons as often. Isn't it more likely that that's because neither India nor Brazil have economies anywhere near the size or importance of America's, and don't appear to be on any kind of trajectory that will get them there?

clairity 8y ago

maybe in a decade or two, folks myopically focused on building walls and fighting invader-terrorists will realize that immigration is a net good, and the principle way to keep china in check as it grows larger and more formidable (not as a threat but as a competitor). hopefully it won't be too late. think of the children.

artificial 8y ago
The argument being made conflates illegal and legal immigration. American legal immigration continues to exceed one million annually, easily dwarfing any other country.
- clairity 8y ago
  it doesn't, but regardless, the cia estimates US net migration was 3.9/1000 in 2017, which is 29th. the point was, why shouldn't we take every (legal) immigrant who will make this a stronger and more vibrant country? https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2112rank.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/...
  - linksnapzz 8y ago
    "Stronger" is...vague, and "vibrant" is very much subjective.