Jim,
In an economic system distorted by a million different government interventions in the economy, the practical effects of a particular trading arrangement can be endlessly debated. That's why we must return to fundamental principles: If I want to buy something and you want to sell it to me, and we aren't violating anyone else's rights, to interfere with our trade is to commit aggression, no matter what parts of the world you or I may live in.
The use of terms like "foreigners" in this context tends to further cloud global issues. That word is simply an artificial designation distinguishing the slaves on one plantation from the slaves on other plantations, thereby helping to disguise the reality that all the slaves have a natural shared cause against the plantation owners.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
Dear Jim and Starchild;
For some real basics on free trade and economic growth see the two
questions below from the Mises Institute - Are You an Austrian Quiz.
19. What is your view of free trade and globalization?
International trade increases living standards through productivity
enhancing specialization. Increased specialization and division of
labor increases labor productivity. Globalization also allows for
improvements in capital goods and the organization of production.
The spread of global capitalism is key to sustained economic
development the world over. Issues like environmental damage turn on
local property rights enforcement, not the spread of global
capitalism. Globalism is good both for consumers in the developed
world and workers in the developing world.
13. What causes economic growth?
The source of economic growth is mutually beneficial, voluntary
exchange. Within the exchange economy, consumers spend part of their
income on goods and services to satisfy their most immediate wants.
This drives current production. Consumers save part of their income
according to their less immediate wants. This drives entrepreneurial
investment in future production and leads to the development of
sophisticated capital markets. Private contracts, competition in
markets, and private institutions that allow for capital investment
and accumulation are all you need to attain optimal economic growth.
In other words, free trade must be mutually free and sustained by
mutually free economic growth.
Ron Getty
SF Libertarian
--- In lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com, Starchild <sfdreamer@e...>
wrote:
Jim,
In an economic system distorted by a million different
government
interventions in the economy, the practical effects of a
particular
trading arrangement can be endlessly debated. That's why we must
return
to fundamental principles: If I want to buy something and you want
to
sell it to me, and we aren't violating anyone else's rights, to
interfere with our trade is to commit aggression, no matter what
parts
of the world you or I may live in.
The use of terms like "foreigners" in this context tends to
further
cloud global issues. That word is simply an artificial designation
distinguishing the slaves on one plantation from the slaves on
other