Outsourcing is a good thing, despite our two presidential opponents excoriating each other over it. Harry Binswanger provides a defense for outsourcing in a recent Forbes article. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Americanism means individualism, but “Hire American” is collectivist, urging businesses to pay more just to patronize “our guys.” This is not rational patriotism, it is not Americanism, it is primitive tribalism.
An individualist makes his purchases based on economic merit, not nationality. Let’s be clear: Economic nationalism is as outrageous as racism. Men, their products and their services must be judged on the basis of their individual, factual qualities, not on issues of race or nationality.
Trade is good, not bad, regardless of whether it is with your neighbor or someone outside the country. So too is outsourcing. It makes everyone more prosperous. Just as no individual should attempt to be self-sufficient (it is a recipe for poverty), neither should any country. Trade promotes peace and harmony among people and nations. Trade enables all to be better off.
Adam Smith observed:
The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals.
If a country cannot create enough jobs internally, that does not argue against free trade. Such a condition is indicative of bad domestic policies. Free trade and outsourcing are natural and not at all inconsistent with full employment. So long as domestic policies encourage free markets, initiative and allow proper rewards, there will be no employment problems, regardless of the amount of outsourcing or buying abroad.
People are ingenious, when allowed to act in their own self-interest. Outsourcing is a means to further the wealth of a nation, not a detriment. Only when government gets in the way does employment become an issue. When that happens, those in government will quickly blame everything else on the problem. Trade xenophobia is a political tool to divert blame from where it belongs.
Countries that complain about free trade should look inward, not outward. Free trade is to everyone’s benefit. It has no bad effects. Problems blamed on free trade result from bad domestic problems caused by bad governmental laws and regulations.
One more thing — politicians who talk about “fair” trade are trying to justify more protectionism. These regulations always make people poorer.
H/T to Brian W.
RChavez: 
HappyinHowell: 
Mr Misno: 
Marsha: 
Brian Wilson: 
Steve: 
Larry Crouse: 
Brian Wilson: 
Monty Pelerin: 
Bob Snyder: 
I’m more in favor of world conquest. Central and South America would be a good start, may as well annex Canada while we’re at it, sort of American Lebensraum so to speak. Obviously, we would have to let Russia and China do their thing, which in the grand scheme of things would only be appropriate and maintain peace between the world powers. Just think, we actually have the means to do this, but obviously not the will. Which would be better for our decendants a century from now, American colonialism or a rotting socialist corps?
Ok, seriously (?), I don’t see that we are benefitting from trade, rather I see our manufacturing base implode. The ramifications are that there are fewer and fewer jobs that create or maintain our middle class standards. Our schools do not prepare our young for anything other than being democrat voters and citizens of the world. The options available for upward mobility are getting fewer and fewer by the year.
make that “agencies”
in base, the above article makes sense……..it unravels, however, when put to the test of government regulations…..China’s factories would be closed by tomorrow afternoon should they be required to meet all the standards of safety, EEOC, OSHA and a wealth of other government agencys…..since they don’t, the deck is stacked in their favor……I have spent a great deal of time in Pacific Rim countries and sold their products….they never meet the same level of quality as USA made goods….level the board and China’s factories would not look so great…..factory dorms in most of China’s factories make our prison cells look like Hampton Inn….sorry, but I have to call Bullshit! on this one