Surely we do not need to import as many goods as we do today?

Question

I found it incredible whilst watching the scavengers at Branscombe beach after the 'Napoli' disaster to see people even grabbing training shoes and many other objects that surely can be manufactured in this country. Nappies must have taken the biscuit, fancy having to import them. If more was made here surely the unemployment rate would go down!

Answer 1

You are absolutely right that manufacturing more products domestically will drive down unemployment. However, how much more are you willing to pay for these products? It's almost a dead certainty that the products you name are imported because they are cheaper to manufacture overseas. If you're willing to pay 20% to 100% more for these products, there is probably a domestic manufacturer to make them.

However, you're right about unemployment and imported products.

Answer 2

I don't know where you get the idea that there is big unemployment in the UK. There isn't. In some regions jobs could be more plentiful but in most places if you want a job there is one waiting. Also, what has happened is that we are no longer a manufacturing Nation. We are a "clever-clogs" country. We have the ideas and plan the goods which get made up in the far East. The UK economy has been incredibly good under this arrangement. But to benefit from it you need to educate yourself to a good level. Do you really want to compete or think it fair to against people of lesser opportunity who are happy to earn a couple of £s an hour in an emerging country. We live in a world and every one deserves enough money to buy food

Answer 3

The problem is, in order for a free market to actually work we need free passage of labour. That would mean that they couldn't pay garment workers in Taiwan a pittance, as all the best ones would just go to the USA to work at American Apparel - much like African and Indian doctors do now. But because business and trade can flow freely over borders but people can't, the working man gets stiffed.

Answer 4

Certainly, any country can make its own goods while importing only a few raw materials that they do not have themselves (and exporting raw materials they have in abundance to countries that do not).

However, many companies seem to think they are saving money by having things manufactured overseas where the wages are less, and where anti-pollution standards and taxes aren't quite as high. In return, we get cheap goods....and I'm not just talking cost. I'm talking things that are meant to break down in less than a year and are quickly thrown away so that you are forced to buy another one.

Its all in the name of business.

Answer 5

There is definitely something wrong with the world economy when it is cheaper for Americans to buy so much imported stuff than to make it locally. And what is wrong is that there are rich and poor countries, and cheap transportation which allows the poor countries to make stuff and sell it at higher prices in the rich areas. The solution is to make America poor or China rich. We are working on the second choice right now.

Answer 6

This trend is determined by consumers.
Please be aware of what you are buying, buy American made goods, save your own job and also the environment.
It´s true that manufacturing practices in the developing countries harm the planet.

Answer 7

People can be exploited in other countries and therefore the profit margins are bigger. Workers are protected in the UK.
Companies are not interested in ecological views or even providing employment. Money talks.

Answer 8

This is the New World and we have to compete or become poorer.We had it our own way for a while but the world doesn't owe us a living . The sooner we wake up the better.

Answer 9

Yeah. Nice theory.

Answer 10

This is globalisation for you. Money and goods move everywhere, and don't call me Shirley.