Even the most biased media will not use the number of 100s of millions. You have a complete disillusion. And you can only point to China & India as examples, which are not even good examples, considering that most of China & India are still dirt poor masses who simply made a transition from substinence farming to being sweatshop slaves. The breakdown is actually 80% are dirt cheap slaves, 15% middle class, 5% top echelon, and that is being generous on the middle class, because the number I have seen quoted is 10%. I already can tell that you have no idea what is going on in China and how the sweatshops operate. I can even tell that you have little clue about your own country. Here is what I know from experience of what Indian employees for Office Tiger have to do. Work 12 hour shifts, from 8a-8p for a month and then switch to 8p-8a. Then switch again. Do you have the slighest idea what that does to your health? But wait, you say, they become middle class. Except that the cost of living rises right in line, credit card sharks are already looking for prey and it only takes one economic downturn on Wall Street for lay-offs to take turn. In the meanwhile, you completely ignore what goes in in this country and completely ignore Latin third world nations, such as Guatemala, Nicaragua & El Salvador which experienced little wealth effect. You are just cheering for your friends & family, who see some dollars thrown at them. Meanwhile in this country, people are losing their jobs, deteriorating into poverty, while the consumer is scratching his head as to why the quality of service is going down the drain.
Well why don't you pull up some Free Trade Agreements and figure it out. It's not that hard. Every single Free Trade Agreement comes with about 20 sections. Only one or two have to do with the real concept of free trade. I already listen three examples, one involving your own country. You just stick your head in the sand.
Okay, let's say it's 10%. 10% of 2 billion people is 200 million. Add in the other countries and I'm not exagerrating just on the middle class alone.
I have no idea what you're talking about. Could you please list what has changed in our country from NAFTA as far as social programs, taxes, etc.?
Our company just flew two guys in from India for training for two months. They're part of the new middle class. Trust me: they don't want to go back to the wonderful days of thirty years ago. Every Indian that I've talked to thinks the country is much, much better, so what horror are you talking about?? Would you rather live back in the 20's in America? Of course not. Please let these people progress and fulfill their potential...
I'm sorry, but we are talking about basic reading comprehension at this point. I don't know what your issue is, I'm guessing selective reading. India has (well had) a constitutional law which outlawed the patenting of life, seeds & genes. Part of their Free Trade Agreement was the abolishment of that law. If you do not see a problem with that, since who cares about national consitutions anyway, I suggest you do some research on what implications the patenting of Life, Genes & Seed actually hold.
Okay, if you're trying to make me go away, it worked. Even I, the most patient of all ETers, can only take so much abuse...
Fulfilled potential at whose expense? The Americans who lose those jobs? Or the sh*tty work quality that the consumer & client gets? Somewhere I recall this game, called the HB-1 Visa scam. 20s America? You mean the Roaring Twenties? Someone obviously has little historical knowledge of USA, but then you barely have an idea of your own country's history. Enough, go discuss this with someone else. Your bias is blatant, your complete lack of knowledge is as well. Your inability to read my posts has already been proven. Your best argument is, "my friends said this", "India & China", "everyone I speak to says this", "new middle class" and "free trade is making everyone rich". You're talking with someone who directly oversaw Indian offshoring, let's just say you do not even have the slighest clue of how much of a sham it is.