“The third world is not poor. You don’t go to poor countries to make money. Most countries are rich. Only the people are poor. Ordinary people pay the costs of empire. These countries are not underdeveloped, they are over exploited.”
-Michael Parenti
I think that captures only half of the story. The main problem these countries have is that the exploitation happens too early on the value creation chain. In fact, looking at the total value produced with inputs from these countries, much more exploitation of labour happens elsewhere. But because it happens so early in the value creation chain in these poor countries, this exploitation only supports a small local elite, with the rest of the population left with no chance at all.
Because you claim that it isn’t true as a “blanket statement” and I would like to learn where it is different as I do think it broadly describes something that is true in all of them.
I don’t claim it isn’t true as a blanket statement. I said I would hesitate to make that claim. I’m not making any positive claim here, I’m in fact stating that I don’t make blanket statements if I don’t feel I have enough data.
There’s also the nature of economic activity there. It’s often based around resource extraction, which tends to concentrate money and power in just a few hands. As you get more value added, it gets harder and harder to not at least treat your employees somewhat decently.
“The third world is not poor. You don’t go to poor countries to make money. Most countries are rich. Only the people are poor. Ordinary people pay the costs of empire. These countries are not underdeveloped, they are over exploited.” -Michael Parenti
I think that captures only half of the story. The main problem these countries have is that the exploitation happens too early on the value creation chain. In fact, looking at the total value produced with inputs from these countries, much more exploitation of labour happens elsewhere. But because it happens so early in the value creation chain in these poor countries, this exploitation only supports a small local elite, with the rest of the population left with no chance at all.
I’m sure that’s true for some, but I would hesitate to make that as a blanket statement.
Provide me with a counter example then ;)
Why?
Because you claim that it isn’t true as a “blanket statement” and I would like to learn where it is different as I do think it broadly describes something that is true in all of them.
You got me before I could edit and clarify.
I don’t claim it isn’t true as a blanket statement. I said I would hesitate to make that claim. I’m not making any positive claim here, I’m in fact stating that I don’t make blanket statements if I don’t feel I have enough data.
There’s also the nature of economic activity there. It’s often based around resource extraction, which tends to concentrate money and power in just a few hands. As you get more value added, it gets harder and harder to not at least treat your employees somewhat decently.