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Look at how far China has progressed. It has nothing to do with Libertarianism, and everything to do with Economics...

by Mikeb85 13y ago

ForHackernews 13y ago
Surely it must be possible to have economic development in poor countries without sweatshop-level exploitation.
- bd_at_rivenhill 13y ago
  Probably not, all of the developed countries went through a sweatshop phase at some point in their past.
  - ForHackernews 13y ago
    That's true, but just because something happened a certain way in the past, doesn't mean it's absolutely necessary it proceed that way in the future. As an industry, the technology sector prides itself on innovative thinking and using new approaches to solve old problems in a better way. It doesn't seem like economic development should be a path-dependent process. It saddens me to see people shrugging off human misery as though it's required by some ironclad law of economics. Instead, we should devote serious effort to figuring out how to get from "poor, subsistence farming" to "developed economy" without the "child labor and sweatshops" step. Rawanda is already trying to make that leap: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-exclusive-interview http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-e...
- corin_ 13y ago
  The fact that something happened due to economics doesn't mean there aren't other ways it could happen.
- mathToCS 13y ago
  Care to name an example from the last 100 years?
  - ForHackernews 13y ago
    Elsewhere I gave the example of Rwanda attempting to do this: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-exclusive-interview http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-e...
- Mikeb85 13y ago
  For sure it might be possible, but historically it hasn't happened. Furthermore, there are still, to this day, occupations in the West which have deplorable working conditions. For instance, construction, mining and oil field work - where workers are outside in conditions as cold as -40 degrees, and work 12-16 hour days for 2-3 weeks strait without days off...

Look at how far China has progressed. It has nothing to do with Libertarianism, and everything to do with Economics...

by Mikeb85 13y ago

Look at how far China has progressed. It has nothing to do with Libertarianism, and everything to do with Economics...

ForHackernews 13y ago

Surely it must be possible to have economic development in poor countries without sweatshop-level exploitation.

bd_at_rivenhill 13y ago
Probably not, all of the developed countries went through a sweatshop phase at some point in their past.
- ForHackernews 13y ago
  That's true, but just because something happened a certain way in the past, doesn't mean it's absolutely necessary it proceed that way in the future. As an industry, the technology sector prides itself on innovative thinking and using new approaches to solve old problems in a better way. It doesn't seem like economic development should be a path-dependent process. It saddens me to see people shrugging off human misery as though it's required by some ironclad law of economics. Instead, we should devote serious effort to figuring out how to get from "poor, subsistence farming" to "developed economy" without the "child labor and sweatshops" step. Rawanda is already trying to make that leap: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-exclusive-interview http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-e...
corin_ 13y ago
The fact that something happened due to economics doesn't mean there aren't other ways it could happen.
mathToCS 13y ago
Care to name an example from the last 100 years?
- ForHackernews 13y ago
  Elsewhere I gave the example of Rwanda attempting to do this: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-exclusive-interview http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/04/paul-kagame-e...
Mikeb85 13y ago
For sure it might be possible, but historically it hasn't happened. Furthermore, there are still, to this day, occupations in the West which have deplorable working conditions. For instance, construction, mining and oil field work - where workers are outside in conditions as cold as -40 degrees, and work 12-16 hour days for 2-3 weeks strait without days off...