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SusanofO -> RE: wal-mart...is it evil or a cult? (10/1/2007 10:42:07 PM)
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I think Wal-Mart is a thriving, seemingly unstoppable business phenomenon, started by a man (now dead) who had a great idea people liked well enough to enable him to expand his concept pretty rapidly, and he ran with it - and even now that he's dead, it is still a store millions shop at. I think if it were not a part of the "American scene" anyway - the standard of living in the U.S. would likely fall a lot- because prices for may goods would likely rise, if it weren't a major and feared marketplace competitor.
Poeple can de-cry this all they want, as being a "bad thing" BUT- I do notice some Wal-mart stores thriving in places (countries)now, even, where capitalism does not predominate as the main economic model. Since that is the case, I'd say that it's an incredibly popular idea put into concrete form that's indeed definintely thriving.
IMO, no matter how anyone feels about it - Wal-mart ain't going out of business anytime soon, globally, or otherwise.
If people really don't appreciate the kind of capitalistic enterprenuerism that can at least give rise to a Wal-mart, and want all kinds of regulation to allow "Mom and Pop" stores to thrive by not having to deal with Wal-mart at all, as a competitor, for instance - I think they should realize that as a concept, that belief in wide practice might well end up cutting their own consumer (as well as enterprenuerial) throats.
Because you really can't have it both ways, IMO. Why people can't just realize this once and for all is beyond me.
thompsonX: FYI (IMO)- The entire Chinese economy practically supports the U.S. economy in many ways, like it or not - and China supplies many more U.S. stores than just Wal-Mart, with merchandise to sell to U.S. consumers. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to name many U.S. establishments that don't handle some Chinese produced merchandise in some form.
IMO, If China stopped producing altogether for the U.S. tommorrow, I am betting the average American's standard of living would fall about 1,000 %.
So - what is your alternative proposal, for replacing Chinese goods and keeping the U.S. standard of living stable in the U.S. economy then?
And please - do tell me how I as a consumer am personally responsible for the way the Chinese government chooses to:
1) Govern and 2) Manage their economy - and especially:
3) How my stopping my Wal-mart shopping will guarantee definitely revamping the Chinese government, as well as their economy, into a form more palatable to those who love the idea of democratizing foreign countries, so they can "feel better" about themselves?
Are you seriously suggesting that boycotting Wal-mart as a U.S. consumer is some guarantee the Chinese government will stop governing their population a certain way?
To me, this idea would suggest a belief there are no other factors at play as far as how the Chinese choose to govern, or run their economy. Factors like: History, tradition, sociological differences, etc. that U.S. consumers, IMO, simply have little or no impact on (whether they want to believe it, or not), no matter what their consumer spending choices might be.
Strike up one more round of applause for some American consumers' over-estimation of their impact on world affairs. Sorry to be so blunt, but I think world politics (not just U.S. - China politics), as well as Chinese history, have at least as much to do with how China is run by the Chinese government - as any American influence on their economy does.
And probably way more.
- Susan
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