Isolation Bad, Globalization Good

By Sarah Viets
7-7-2008

I don't think isolationism should influence American foreign policy and here's why:

The rise of isolationist foreign policies is in response to globalization. And Why?

When our American economy competes globally, so does our individual income. In result, how much we make per hour or each year competes with the standard amount of money people make in various countries.

So, if we can agree our cost of living is higher than developing countries, than we can also agree the amount of money we make is also higher.

Therefore, if we compete within global markets, our individual wages and economic standards of living will decline.

So, is this a good thing?

No and Yes

For instance, we're all aware we are the richest nation in the world. But, where’s the source of our wealth?

If we want to increase the wealth and standards of living for other countries, if we want to make sure everybody has access to basic human needs, that each mother and father has enough food to feed their family, we must realize our standards are too high and perpetuate global poverty.

And Why?

Everybody knows there are only so many pieces in a pie. If you take more than your share, somebody will always get shortchanged.

At the same time, even though you can’t compare American hard times to African, Indian, or Cambodian hardships, doesn’t mean the concerns of Americans aren’t valid.

So we can respond to foreign competition in 2 ways:

1-Cut of all ties to save our own neck. With that said, we all know problems never really go away, no matter how much we ignore them. They merely present themselves in different ways.

or

2-Engage in foreign competition. Why? Because we know companies are most interested in finding cheap prices for labor. In other words, the lowest wages. For example, why else do you think our clothes are made in China, Korea, Cambodia, Mexico, etc.

While it's easier to blame Koreans, Mexicans, or Ecuadorians, who work for old American based companies, aren't they simply doing what you do every morning? Just like you, they get up every morning, kiss their loved ones good-bye, and head out to work to feed and clothe their family.

But, if you prefer to stay in a bidding war against foreign competition, aren't you also saying you deserve a job more than somebody else? If so, you're also saying, you have more of a right to feed your family than the person standing next to you.

So, we can either pretend their desire will vanish, or we can wake up and realize globalization is here to stay.

What do they say? In order to change something, you must first acknowledge what already exists...