XPost: misc.consumers, alt.consumers 
 From: geoffm@u1.netgate.net 
  
 Mohan Argawal   writes: 
  
 > I must agree with you. It's called profiteering indeed - plus 
 > GREED. 
  
 So where exactly is the line drawn between legitimate profit- 
 making on the one hand, and profiteering and greed on the other? 
 That's never been clear to me. 
  
 Since the purpose of any corporation is to -- dare I say it? -- 
 make a profit, I've long been amazed that it's so fashionable 
 in certain circles to accuse corporations of being greedy.  It's 
 like accusing water of being wet.  Like the scorpion in that 
 fable, it's their nature. 
  
 What makes profiteering acceptable, or should, is that this sup- 
 posed "greed" exists within the context of commerce.  And does 
 that really mean that it should be considered greed at all? 
 The idea that certain things are acceptable in some contexts but 
 not others is hardly a foreign one.  Look at the deliberate 
 taking of human life, for example.  It's called "war" or 
 "murder," depending on the circumstances, and is punished or 
 rewarded (or at least expected), depending on the situation. 
  
  
 > Profit margins for US corporations boosted at least 20 times 
 > for exploiting the cheap labor in China. Not just shoes but 
 > many other items are in the same price scheme. 
  
 That's a *good* thing: good for the coprorations and their share- 
 holders, obviously, but also good for their Chinese workers -- 
 who have jobs they wouldn't otherwise have.  Why is hiring 
 workers in foreign counties, giving them work they wouldn't 
 otherwise have and compensating them at the prevailing local 
 wage rates, "exploitation?"  That's just silly. 
  
 I can't help wondering how many guiltridden First World do- 
 gooders bother asking these supposedly "exploited" overseas 
 workers how *they* feel about all this.  One can't help 
 noticing that if the workers in question feel exploited, 
 they apparently don't feel strongly enough about it that 
 they quit their jobs... 
  
  
 > The bottom line is the consumers DO NOT benefit from having 
 > products made in China. 
  
 Horse genitals. 
  
  
 > On the contrary, the US consumers are hurting in many ways. 
 > Among them are a real threat of the domestic economic downfall 
 > and having to use inferior quality products that have the 
 > appearance of good ones. 
  
 Are you insinuating that Chinese workers are incapable of 
 producing quality products?  By your name, you appear to be 
 Indian.  I can well imagine the righteous outcry if a white 
 male were to say such a thing. 
  
  
 > Another clear benefit to the US corporations is that they 
 > would not have to deal with strict environmental laws in 
 > China. And this saves them a bundle. The real cost will 
 > be paid by the Chinese people themselves in the long run. 
  
 Chinese environmental laws are an internal Chinese matter. 
 If their laws are more lax than those in the U.S., it's 
 not the problem or the concern of American corporations. 
 Indeed, American corporations would be foolish not to take 
 advantage of them. 
  
  
 > Does any one still remember the Union Carbide "accident" 
 > in Bhopal, India some years ago? 
  
 Why do you put "accident" in quotes?  Do you believe the 
 Union Carbide tragedy was in fact a deliberate act? 
  
  
 > Hummm, greed and profiteering resemble acts of terrorism, 
 > don't they? 
  
 Let's see here.  Union Carbide built a factory in India and 
 employed Indians as workers -- and this makes Union Carbide 
 "greedy" and guilty of "profiteering?" 
  
 What if this accident had occurred at a Union Carbide plant 
 in the United States, with a comparable loss of life?  Would 
 you be so eager to draw your comparison to terrorism then? 
 If not, *why* not? 
  
 And what does terrorism have to do with it, anyway?  Why, one 
 could be forgiven for suspecting that you have an agenda. 
 (I'm being charitable here, and not raising the suspicion 
 that you're simply another in an endless, yammering line of 
 anti-American, anti-capitalist leftist idiots.) 
  
  
  
 Geoff 
  
 -- 
 "If you and your children are incapable of acting any better 
  than a troupe of shrieking, feces-flinging howler monkeys, 
  then stay the HELL off of commercial aircraft!" -- ERIKG3 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)