WhatsappBig businesses, in general, are not well known for being overly concerned with human rights – especially when the human rights involved are outside of the borders of the United States of America. This applies less to big tech companies, who are more known for their progressive attitudes. But, large brick and mortar companies often have so much to lose that without specific negative intention, they often play a critical role in continuing horrible practices in foreign countries. Big businesses tend to obsess over the bottom line, and the urge to use China-based companies that produce products at reduced costs of up to 70 or 80% less than the alternatives, become no-brainer choices. But now, due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are waking up to the fact that the United States, and the entire Western world have become accustomed to lifestyles that are too dependent on China. Either we ween ourselves off gradually, or we will find ourselves under the shoes of Marxist dictators in a few generations.
Donald Trump will be remembered as one of the most controversial and divisive Presidents in US history. But, a few decades from now, he will also probably be remembered as the President who put US-China relations at the top of the US foreign-policy agenda. Note that Donald Trump had no genuine diplomatic foreign policy experience before entering into the Oval Office. But he did have extensive business experience and was indeed able to comprehend that the trade deficit between the United States and China (and others) was leading more and more to the erosion of the United States manufacturing base. As more and more jobs headed to the Far-East, and cheaper labor in Mexico combined with insufficient import/export regulation made it difficult to compete from within the United States, jobs were becoming more and more scarce in many fields. As Ross Perot Jr. had described it, the large sucking sound of jobs disappearing was truly happening – but mainly to China.
The manufacturing base of the United States is much more than a means to find work for tens of millions of Americans. It is part of the national security of the entire world. During World War II, the manufacturing capabilities of the United States allowed the United States to first arm Great Britain and then the Soviet Union in order to repel the German threat. Then, it allowed the United States to overwhelm the German and Japanese armies with more and better machines. Both the Air Force and the Navy of the United States and England won – largely due to the manufacturing prowess, in addition to the bravery of the young fighters. Let us not forget that worldwide threats continue to abound in the world. We may need to rely on the US manufacturing base again to retain freedom in the battle against Chinese expansionism. For starters, the US government should decide on a bold economic policy that brings back the pharmaceutical industry production back to the West. Our health and well-being should not be dependent on the financial domination goals of Chinese dictators.
