The weekend FT essay/bookreview deals with the "consumer" origins of
the American Revolution.
It will be remembered that the FIRST AMERICAN REVOLUTION against
England was really ALL ABOUT TRADE!
England was forcing Americans to buy ONLY ENGLISH GOODS!
And, the American colonist/consumers bought a lot of them.
England then decided to raise a little revenue, and INCREASED TAXES
AND PRICES!
The rest is, as they say, HISTORY!
OK, FAST FORWARD TO TODAY:
Presently, Americans are getting the short end of the trade stick
yet AGAIN!
BUT, THIS TIME IT'S NOT ENGLAND THAT'S "SCREWING" AMERICANS.
IT'S CHINA! AND INDIA!
AND JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER COUNTRY WITH A LARGE UNEMPLOYED POPULATION
OF PAUPERS!
BUT, ALAS CHINA IS NOT ALONE IN THIS NEW VENTURE;
"INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL" IS NOW ALSO IN PLAY.
Free Trade has been used by INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL to "sell" it's
version of capitalism to the American public, and anyone else dumb
enough to listen.
Free Trade is after all, a political tool, not an economic doctrine
as readers of this board probably ALREADY know.
DURING THE FIRST AMERICAN REVOLUTION AMERICANS BOYCOTTED BRITISH
GOODS! HELD "TEA PARTIES" OF VARIOUS KINDS. AND
ENCOURAGED "HOMESPUN" AND DOMESTIC PRODUCTION TO WIN THEIR "TRADE
WAR" WITH ENGLAND.
ALAS, NOW A SECOND "TRADE REVOLUTION" SEEMS TO BE STARTING.
One where Americans will be DEMANDING protection AGAINST THE PAUPER
LABOR OF ASIA AND INDIA!
One where American productive capacity will be restored, and the
DANGEROUS trade deficit eliminated.
One where American Labor can again earn a living wage and suvive in
the NEW AND COMPLEX ECONOMY of the 21st Century.
ALAS, GENTLE READER, WE HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE!
THE "TRADE REVOLUTION" OF 1776 WAS THE FIRST TIME AMERICANS FOUGHT
AGAINST UNFAIR TRADE!
NOW COMES THE SECOND TIME FOR AMERICANS TO STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS
AND THEIR DIGNITY;
FORTUNATELY, THIS TIME WE DON'T NEED A CHANGE IN RULERS FROM AFAR!
NOW, ONLY A CHANGE IN WASHINGTON IS NEEDED!
Make no mistake, what's going to happen is serious business, and it
won't be easy.
But, the sooner we end the current ECONOMIC MADDESS;
The sooner the books will balance again as they must be;
And, the sooner we will restore AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!
NOT THE COOLIE PAUPER LABOR OF CHINA!
OR, THE HINDU MASSES OF INDIA!
