Has Globalization Hurt the American Worker?
As early as the 1980s Americans started to feel the pain of lost jobs due to companies outsourcing to other countries. One of the first and hardest hit industries was the steel industry. Many of the American steel mills were shut down in mostly small towns, thereby, destroying the economy and the living standards of those communities.
Next, America saw the loss of automobile manufacturing when the large car manufacturers decided that it was much more cost effective to move their manufacturing plants out of America and into countries such as Mexico. Although, due to the public outcry and the power of the United Auto Worker's Union, manufacturers were forced to leave some of their operations open in the United States.
In the 1990s, America's workforce has seen almost all of its manufacturing jobs outsourced to other countries. To date, America's only job resource left is in the service industry. However, even the customer service industry has been outsourced to other countries, and with the advances in computer technology it is only a matter of time before even service will be outsourced.
As little as fifteen years ago the United States saw a boom in the computer industry, and Silicone Valley was a hotbed of activity for many technologically based professions. Everything from hardware manufacturing to software development had its place in the U.S. economy. However, even with such a booming market it was not to last due in large part to corporate greed. At first the outsourcing began with the large portions of the technology industries and programmers were the first to feel the pinch.
Nevertheless, it did not take long before the hardware manufacturers followed suit, and shortly after that the technology customer service industry. However, it was not enough for these technology based companies to outsource the jobs in the industry, but soon they started importing labor from other countries which would work for very low wages for the opportunity to come to America, and they would be grateful for it.
It is not that the American worker is less competent than any other person from another country. It is a simple matter of economics and greed which motivates American companies to move their manufacturing operations to destinations abroad. At one time there was a certain pride that companies felt towards the idea of being an American company. However, that feeling of pride has been replaced by the greed of earning more profits.
The mindset of the corporate officers can be interpreted to say that the world is more important than any one Nation. The corporations are more than happy to embrace a world market because in effect they have a much larger employee base that is willing to work for slave wages and they are not expected to adhere to basic human standards, nor are they expected to offer basic benefits, the likes of which have become expected by the American worker.
Nevertheless, the American worker is not so ready to embrace such a global market. It is seen as a threat to their livelihoods, as well as it should be. Experience has shown us that there is no benefit for Americans when companies decide to move jobs into other countries. It is clear that outsourcing to other countries is just the corporations' way of taking advantage of third world countries and their people, in order to increase profits.
Over years of manipulation by the corporations and politicians, America's economy has been destroyed and moved into a state of dependence upon a global market. Due to the loss of manufacturing in the United States, the economy in this country has nothing to fall back on in case of economic turmoil as we had in the past. Economies are dependant upon the countries ability to produce a product, and without manufacturing, there simply is nothing of worth being produced by the American worker.
Image Credit
http://www.Coalcampusa.com
Published by Nicholos Poma B.S.
Nick Poma holds a Bachelor of Science and Information Technology degree. He has served in the United States armed forces as a 31U, Tactical Communications Specialist, from 1983 to 1989 and then again from 20... View profile
-
The Precarious State of the American Worker
The nation that once promised so much now is at war with its own working classes.
- Congressional Pay Raise is a Slap in the American Worker's Face As the Federal government baulks at a minimum wage increase Leona, a Video Store clerk in Fort Pierce, Florida struggles to survive in a world where housing costs have sky rocketed, while her earning power has stalled.
- The American Dream: Myth or Fact? Ah, the American Dream. It is still alive and breathing fire into the hearts and minds of the unknowing and gullible American populace.
- September 11th and Its Aftermath: A Look at 9/11's Political and Economic Effects the war on Terror and Terrorism is here to stay, but the implications of 9/11 go far beyond political and miliotary fallout, but also have hurt the American economy
- Does Trade Protectionism Hinder or Promote International Development? Trade protection law was designed to protect the financial interests of all nations; however, this protection may come at the expense of others.
- Does Trade Protection Help or Hurt International Business?
- Corporate Downsizing
- Solidarity Forever: American Worker's Unions in Theory, Practice
- Health Insurance Crisis Creating New Class of Worker
- American Inventor: The Final Pitch
- Chaotic: Globalization, the Media and American Popular Culture
- Are Men the Real Culprits Behind Corporate Greed?
|
|
- 10 things you need to know today: February 11, 2012 (The Week)
- Grammy Awards preview: Top 5 reasons to watch (The Week)
- No Fun Allowed: L.A. Beaches Ban Footballs, Frisbees, and Sand Digging (ContributorNetwork)
- Good day, bad day: February 10, 2012 (The Week)
- Obama's birth control compromise: 'Still unacceptable'? (The Week)
14 Comments
Post a CommentI have been hearing alot of about the honey bee situation. I have heard everything from hyperdimentional anomolies to HAARP being responsible. However, yours point is well taken and it well could be the trouble, although, I would not rule out the GM crops themselves. It could be that theren is something in them that is taking its toll on the bee population. Then again corporations have been genetically modifying insect such as bees as well and the could be interbreeding with the natural honey bees and are incompatible leading to colony collapse (Africanized bees come to mind). As far as globalization and trade our input in foriegn goods is much higher than our out put in agricultural exports, so there is a definite imbalance. Great points!
I have been hearing alot of about the honey bee situation. I have heard everything from hyperdimentional anomolies to HAARP being responsible. However, yours point is well taken and it well could be the trouble, although, I would not rule out the GM crops themselves. It could be that theren is something in them that is taking its toll on the bee population. Then again corporations have been genetically modifying insect such as bees as well and the could be interbreeding with the natural honey bees and are incompatible leading to colony collapse (Africanized bees come to mind). As far as globalization and trade our input in foriegn goods is much higher than our out put in agricultural exports, so there is a definite imbalance. Great points!
We still export agriculture products. But those lands are being razed for housing developments in the alternately freezing and sweltering midwest. California is also a agri exporter, but bee-dependent crops, such as almonds, are threatened by the global epidemic of "colony collapse disorder". I have personally seen thousands of bees in the process of dying on the street for no apparent reason (although nicotine-based pesticides, in use worldwide, have been fingered). Result? Bees are being imported from Argentina and Australia where they are then exposed to diseases that were formerly geographically isolated. As a result, the common honeybee has suffered from globalization too!
P.S. Nice reporting!
I've been thinking about the pros and cons of being in an international economy for a long time. This is such a complex issue, glad you brought it up here.
My take? We can't assume that the American economy will always be in the forefront unless we make sure we educate our children well and take measures to compete and keep our economy strong and desirable, a leader in the world.
When Americans start asking to be paid in Euro dollars instead of American dollars and bet against the dollar, we should take heed. Even leading American financial experts have done this!
Globalization has hurt the American worker and consumer too. Thank You fer sharin'. ;-}}>
This is all too frightening.
What a great article on a subject that I am "way" to aware of now!...After loosing my job to the so called "world market" It is really scary to see what is going to become of America with all of the major companies leaving to go to this cheaper labor. With the "voice recognition" device that they seem to have improved..What other jobs will be leaving? well written article!
A very sad reality!!
Great article. You know, it brings to mind a related thought, Dem's or Pub's it doesn't matter, they are archaic labels and in reality they are more the same than they are different (they are all rich and controlled by special interests groups). What you have to look at is what a free reign the world market offers the "Power Elite." Then you will realize we are on a one way track to "Absolute Classism" and will be subject to the greedy whim's of the "Power Elite." Does your vote count? Sure it counts, it counts to elect someone who will protect their own interest (wealth, elitism and the global marketplace). If you doubt this just think back to Bill Clinton and NAFTA.
Great article with some very good points made!