4 ms·

> at its factory in Aizu, Japan. Which is great since it's not in China, which the world's democratic countries needs to work on uncoupling from since it's a)

by lysace 2y ago

> at its factory in Aizu, Japan. Which is great since it's not in China, which the world's democratic countries needs to work on uncoupling from since it's a) a totalitarian regime, b) part of the weird BRICS network. Remember that the R stands for Russia. We should aim to keep high-tech manufacturing in democratic countries. Automation is typically what makes this possible in new factories.

muxator 2y ago
With all its present and past limitations, Brazil is a democracy. I do not know India enough, but it is not a regime either.
- lysace 2y ago
  I did not claim the opposite. Although I do question the morality of partnering with Russia in 2024.
- varjag 2y ago
  It's worth remembering that the origin of BRICS was the Goldman Sachs portfolio for emerging markets. For some bizarre reason the term became loved by Western far left and then took a life of its own.
- shiroiushi 2y ago
  Yes, it is. Every government is a regime: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/regime https://www.dictionary.com/browse/regime The word frequently has a negative connotation, but that isn't strictly part of the definition.
saturn8601 2y ago
Whats your beef with BRICS? There should be competition in the world against the US dollar. It keeps the West more honest if there was someone nipping at their heels. Yeah its a mess backed by some unsavory countries but at least they are trying. Think about everything in your life. There is always at least 2-3 options. Why don't we really have that at a country level? We got the US, the rest of the west is essentially just vassal states for them and then we maybe got China but they may collapse before they amount to anything. Thats it.
- Etheryte 2y ago
  While all of this is a heavy tangent to the actual article we're discussing, I'm not sure if Russia, China, Iran et al are exactly the kind of competition we should be fostering and cheering on.
  - griffzhowl 2y ago
    The I stands for India, not Iran
    - Etheryte 2y ago
      Iran is also a member of BRICS, there's more members than the abbreviation lets on. The current list is Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran.
      - griffzhowl 2y ago
        Ah, fair enough
      - 6510 2y ago
        You missed Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. There are 10 members and 26 applicants. Combined some ~57% of the world population and they have twice as much land as the EU and US combined. They also have terrifying amount of cheap labor and China is far ahead of the west in many kinds of manufacturing.
        shiroiushi 2y ago
        It'd be really interesting to see some sci-fi set in the not-so-distance future (maybe 50-200 years ahead) predicting a future where the western-aligned democratic nations fall, and various brutal authoritarian regimes take over the world and variously compete or collaborate with each other. It wouldn't look pretty I think, but at least it'd probably be a realistic look at humanity's future. I'm guessing it would look something like "1984" but with more political powers and much better technology.
James_K 2y ago
Better take manufacturing out of America then, if you want to keep it in democratic countries.
WhereIsTheTruth 2y ago
> part of the weird BRICS network This is why the other side of the world chose to team up, typical snubbing from the west
qwezxcrty 2y ago
I don't think US is genuinely interested in uncoupling with totalitarian regimes. There are many countries like Saudi Arab, UAE, Morocco that have way worse human rights record than China, and the US have no problem with selling even tanks and fighter jets to them. What's in US's real interest is staying more competitive over China and the support for democracy is only a cover story. It's even worse when looking back in history, Taiwan was totalitarianly ruled before the 90s but US has been backing it ever since world war II.
InDubioProRubio 2y ago
Is BRICS really a thing? As in the CI are local rivals the RC are undeclared local rivals and might rather sooner then later be at war. Authoritarians do not have real allies, just regime-phase temporary companions. Stalin-Hitler were allied once with the Ribbentrop packt. Was SRNG (SovjetRussiaNaziGermany) ever really a threat for the free world or more for each other?

by lysace 2y ago

muxator 2y ago

With all its present and past limitations, Brazil is a democracy. I do not know India enough, but it is not a regime either.

lysace 2y ago
I did not claim the opposite. Although I do question the morality of partnering with Russia in 2024.
varjag 2y ago
It's worth remembering that the origin of BRICS was the Goldman Sachs portfolio for emerging markets. For some bizarre reason the term became loved by Western far left and then took a life of its own.
shiroiushi 2y ago
Yes, it is. Every government is a regime: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/regime https://www.dictionary.com/browse/regime The word frequently has a negative connotation, but that isn't strictly part of the definition.

saturn8601 2y ago

Whats your beef with BRICS? There should be competition in the world against the US dollar. It keeps the West more honest if there was someone nipping at their heels. Yeah its a mess backed by some unsavory countries but at least they are trying. Think about everything in your life. There is always at least 2-3 options. Why don't we really have that at a country level? We got the US, the rest of the west is essentially just vassal states for them and then we maybe got China but they may collapse before they amount to anything. Thats it.

Etheryte 2y ago
While all of this is a heavy tangent to the actual article we're discussing, I'm not sure if Russia, China, Iran et al are exactly the kind of competition we should be fostering and cheering on.
- griffzhowl 2y ago
  The I stands for India, not Iran
  - Etheryte 2y ago
    Iran is also a member of BRICS, there's more members than the abbreviation lets on. The current list is Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran.
    - griffzhowl 2y ago
      Ah, fair enough
    - 6510 2y ago
      You missed Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. There are 10 members and 26 applicants. Combined some ~57% of the world population and they have twice as much land as the EU and US combined. They also have terrifying amount of cheap labor and China is far ahead of the west in many kinds of manufacturing.
      - shiroiushi 2y ago
        It'd be really interesting to see some sci-fi set in the not-so-distance future (maybe 50-200 years ahead) predicting a future where the western-aligned democratic nations fall, and various brutal authoritarian regimes take over the world and variously compete or collaborate with each other. It wouldn't look pretty I think, but at least it'd probably be a realistic look at humanity's future. I'm guessing it would look something like "1984" but with more political powers and much better technology.

James_K 2y ago

Better take manufacturing out of America then, if you want to keep it in democratic countries.

WhereIsTheTruth 2y ago

> part of the weird BRICS network This is why the other side of the world chose to team up, typical snubbing from the west

qwezxcrty 2y ago

I don't think US is genuinely interested in uncoupling with totalitarian regimes. There are many countries like Saudi Arab, UAE, Morocco that have way worse human rights record than China, and the US have no problem with selling even tanks and fighter jets to them. What's in US's real interest is staying more competitive over China and the support for democracy is only a cover story. It's even worse when looking back in history, Taiwan was totalitarianly ruled before the 90s but US has been backing it ever since world war II.

InDubioProRubio 2y ago

Is BRICS really a thing? As in the CI are local rivals the RC are undeclared local rivals and might rather sooner then later be at war. Authoritarians do not have real allies, just regime-phase temporary companions. Stalin-Hitler were allied once with the Ribbentrop packt. Was SRNG (SovjetRussiaNaziGermany) ever really a threat for the free world or more for each other?