From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 10/28/02-08:52:42 PM Z
On Mon, 28 Oct 2002, Greg Schmitz wrote:
> > and the 3rd world economy where these things are made would perish without
> > them. Do you want my children/their children to starve?
>
> Judy - I assume you are being sarcastic? Contrary to popular belief
> (here) and the rantings of the New York Times and Washington Post on
> the subject, many in the "Third World" don't want our "economic help."
> >From what I've seen in The Philippines, more are starving, because of
> our help, than would without "economic development." The people there
> were better off before a "cash based" economy was thrust upon them -
> many of the people there know this. Now, while they get poisoned,
> they watch as their wells dry-up, the fish die off, the forests get
> cut down (and exported) while all the while the price of food
> continues to climb; but they can buy a TV - PROGRESS!
>
Greg, I daresay you know more about the *particulars* than I do, but the
trend overall in rural areas is for people to LEAVE the land, and move to
the cities, in search of --- I dunno, a more exciting life? Or maybe they
don't own the land, just work on it? Whatever, in the cities they need
jobs and there are few for them, hence they live in squalor,pollute the
rivers with human waste, etc...
Many folks, esp. in US, who made their fortunes on cheap labor oppose
dissemination of, even existence of, birth control info. But until
population is stabilized, "the land" wherever will be trashed. AFAIK the
wells dry up for other reasons than "economic development."
One of them perhaps being that more population than the land can support
means use of water-retaining shrubs & trees for cooking fuel. Of course of
course I am well out of my area of expertise here, but I don't believe
it's as simple as "stop development." I think it depends on many factors,
including local government. There are places where "development" has been
managed and lives improved. Also birthrates capped.
Which is to say, stopping overseas manufacture assures nothing. Certainly
our own economy would collapse without selling things.... most of them
that people don't need. I do not condone it (as you know), but I
recognize it. How could I not?
J.
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