4 ms·

Did the USSR ever manufacture 80% of the stuff in your house?

JumpCrisscross 9mo ago
> Did the USSR ever manufacture 80% of the stuff in your house? China makes about a third of the world’s stuff [1]. Soviet Union probably peaked around a fifth, though it might have been as high as a fourth. China is undoubtedly stronger today, absolutely and relative to the U.S., than the Soviets ever were. But history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. Part of what makes the world today frustrating is both America and China are squandering their advantages in remarkably-similar ways, with each regime’s defenders speaking almost identically. [1] https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/china-worlds-sole-manufacturing-superpower-line-sketch-rise https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/china-worlds-sole-manufacturi...
- alephnerd 9mo ago
  > Part of what makes the world today frustrating is both America and China are squandering their advantages in remarkably-similar ways, with each regime’s defenders speaking almost identically. Personalist rule be personalist. Also glad to see you also appear to recognize our "Wolf Warrior" moment.
- bmitc 9mo ago
  > China makes about a third of the world’s stuff That isn't what the commenter asked. What percentage of stuff in your house is made in China? I would be extremely surprised if it's not more than 33%.
  - chii 9mo ago
    And the idea of the percentage make up is a bit misleading, because while some things could've been 100% manufactured in america, the machines doing that manufacturing comes from china.
    - bmitc 9mo ago
      Good point. And also the materials.
- floatrock 9mo ago
  wait so is > history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. referring to China or the US?
- chii 9mo ago
  > But history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. i actually dont believe that china is heading towards autocratic rule. At least, the trajectory isn't indicative of such tbh. It's dictatorial - ala, the party's needs supersedes the needs of the population, but it doesn't make it autocratic imho. On the other hand, the behaviour of trump and his goons, have shown more signs of autocratic behaviour than any in recent history in american gov't.
- ksec 9mo ago
  >China makes about a third of the world’s stuff [1]. Why do I see this being quote all the time on HN? China made one third of the value, mostly concentrating in commodity sector. In product / unit volume they are far greater. As in the 80% the OP mentioned.
NoMoreNicksLeft 9mo ago
If they had manufactured 80% of the stuff in my house, wouldn't Reagan have concluded that they had won the war before it started? A country that manufactures 80% of the things you need to live might just decide to not sell them to you if you misbehave.
- smallmancontrov 9mo ago
  Yes, but the real question is if Reagan still would have pushed as hard for financialization and deindustrialization if he understood that he was ultimately selling American industry to communists. I think he would have. I think he hated American labor more than he hated foreign communists. If his head were still around in a Futurama Jar to comment on the matter, I think he would be blaming American workers for the consequences of his own policies.
  - chrisco255 9mo ago
    Reagan didnt push for deindustrialization and "the world is flat" world view didn't take precedence until after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 90s. At the time, everyone was still optimistic that China would eventually become more open and even democratic, that Russia would not regress, etc. It was still common for electronics and microprocessors to be made in USA well into the 90s. Reagan had nothing to do with the expansion of WTO and trade deficits with China that ballooned under HW, Clinton, Bush Jr and Obama.
    - smallmancontrov 9mo ago
      You can't have financialization without deindustrialization and he didn't push in that direction, he shoved. This macroeconomic story is 500 years old. He knew what he was doing.
      - DaedalusII 9mo ago
        you give the 'elites' far too much credit. reagan was a tv cowboy that got elected because he was really popular, and cut taxes. Bush 1 was a cowboy and oil man from texas, and clinton was a cowboy from arkansas who made money trading cattle futures and doing land deals in the ozarks. Bush 2 grew up in rural texas and had a GPA of 2.35. these people were really good at fundraising and getting elected, nobody after kissinger was competent in these ideas (kissingers morality is debatable, but he was very competent)
iancmceachern 9mo ago
Yeah but they don't design the stuff
- bmitc 9mo ago
  What indication do you have that China doesn't design their own stuff? They have their own Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, consumer electronics, car companies, aircraft carriers, chip companies, manufacturing, etc.
- stx5 9mo ago
  glad to see you people think this way
- aurareturn 9mo ago
  They actually do. Many of the things you think are designed in the west are actually designed in China but with a western logo slapped on top of it. The western companies are mostly just choosing what Chinese designed parts they want and maybe change the plastic enclosure for a unique look.

> Did the USSR ever manufacture 80% of the stuff in your house? China makes about a third of the world’s stuff [1]. Soviet Union probably peaked around a fifth, though it might have been as high as a fourth. China is undoubtedly stronger today, absolutely and relative to the U.S., than the Soviets ever were. But history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. Part of what makes the world today frustrating is both America and China are squandering their advantages in remarkably-similar ways, with each regime’s defenders speaking almost identically. [1] https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/china-worlds-sole-manufacturing-superpower-line-sketch-rise https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/china-worlds-sole-manufacturi...

alephnerd 9mo ago
> Part of what makes the world today frustrating is both America and China are squandering their advantages in remarkably-similar ways, with each regime’s defenders speaking almost identically. Personalist rule be personalist. Also glad to see you also appear to recognize our "Wolf Warrior" moment.
bmitc 9mo ago
> China makes about a third of the world’s stuff That isn't what the commenter asked. What percentage of stuff in your house is made in China? I would be extremely surprised if it's not more than 33%.
- chii 9mo ago
  And the idea of the percentage make up is a bit misleading, because while some things could've been 100% manufactured in america, the machines doing that manufacturing comes from china.
  - bmitc 9mo ago
    Good point. And also the materials.
floatrock 9mo ago
wait so is > history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. referring to China or the US?
chii 9mo ago
> But history is littered with self-obsessed autocrats ruining a good thing. i actually dont believe that china is heading towards autocratic rule. At least, the trajectory isn't indicative of such tbh. It's dictatorial - ala, the party's needs supersedes the needs of the population, but it doesn't make it autocratic imho. On the other hand, the behaviour of trump and his goons, have shown more signs of autocratic behaviour than any in recent history in american gov't.
ksec 9mo ago
>China makes about a third of the world’s stuff [1]. Why do I see this being quote all the time on HN? China made one third of the value, mostly concentrating in commodity sector. In product / unit volume they are far greater. As in the 80% the OP mentioned.

NoMoreNicksLeft 9mo ago

If they had manufactured 80% of the stuff in my house, wouldn't Reagan have concluded that they had won the war before it started? A country that manufactures 80% of the things you need to live might just decide to not sell them to you if you misbehave.

smallmancontrov 9mo ago
Yes, but the real question is if Reagan still would have pushed as hard for financialization and deindustrialization if he understood that he was ultimately selling American industry to communists. I think he would have. I think he hated American labor more than he hated foreign communists. If his head were still around in a Futurama Jar to comment on the matter, I think he would be blaming American workers for the consequences of his own policies.
- chrisco255 9mo ago
  Reagan didnt push for deindustrialization and "the world is flat" world view didn't take precedence until after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 90s. At the time, everyone was still optimistic that China would eventually become more open and even democratic, that Russia would not regress, etc. It was still common for electronics and microprocessors to be made in USA well into the 90s. Reagan had nothing to do with the expansion of WTO and trade deficits with China that ballooned under HW, Clinton, Bush Jr and Obama.
  - smallmancontrov 9mo ago
    You can't have financialization without deindustrialization and he didn't push in that direction, he shoved. This macroeconomic story is 500 years old. He knew what he was doing.
    - DaedalusII 9mo ago
      you give the 'elites' far too much credit. reagan was a tv cowboy that got elected because he was really popular, and cut taxes. Bush 1 was a cowboy and oil man from texas, and clinton was a cowboy from arkansas who made money trading cattle futures and doing land deals in the ozarks. Bush 2 grew up in rural texas and had a GPA of 2.35. these people were really good at fundraising and getting elected, nobody after kissinger was competent in these ideas (kissingers morality is debatable, but he was very competent)

iancmceachern 9mo ago

Yeah but they don't design the stuff

bmitc 9mo ago
What indication do you have that China doesn't design their own stuff? They have their own Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, consumer electronics, car companies, aircraft carriers, chip companies, manufacturing, etc.
stx5 9mo ago
glad to see you people think this way
aurareturn 9mo ago
They actually do. Many of the things you think are designed in the west are actually designed in China but with a western logo slapped on top of it. The western companies are mostly just choosing what Chinese designed parts they want and maybe change the plastic enclosure for a unique look.