In my opinion, Democratic Socialism is an illusion. In it’s very essence, ‘Democratic Socialism’ does not differ much from Communism. Note that right from the inception, the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell depicts the contradictions of Communist Russia because communism merely replaced the oppressors within the society, with outcome Russia remained a community of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. The only difference was whereas you needed to own land and property to be a have under the Czars, under Communism you needed to know the leaders in order to have access to land and property. In reality, nothing much changed, hence failure of Communism at creating an egalitarian society.
With respect to outsourcing of manufacturing, if America is to generate any new manufacturing jobs, and it needs to do so if it is not to become technologically obsolete, it must be outcome of totally new innovations, that is, totally new technologies that have practical uses. So long as America continues to produce new technologies in context of manufacturing, outsourcing of a technology whose patents have worn out to developing countries creates a cycle of creation of new types of jobs, new technologies, and new expertise in America, and exporting of technology to developing countries, with outcome America remains a leader in technology in context of manufacturing. This strategy is better than the current push for turning everyone in America into app coders.
App coding is just programming, it is no longer in of itself a new technology.
If Americans want designs of new spaces for manufacturing concerns, designs that differ from the old ‘assembly line’ format, expending energies on such efforts, and development of new technologies in the manufacturing space, and subsequent outsourcing of such new technologies is a better response than disdain for manufacturing.
Manufacturing jobs can have as much dignity as we choose to confer on such jobs.
With respect to eventuality of outsourcing, by my back of the envelope calculations, a setting aside of no more than 2% of profits for 20 years ensures there are more than enough funds to be solely applied to rejuvenation of manufacturing towns which lose manufacturing jobs to eventuality of outsourcing than could conceivably be necessary. Funds would be applied to retraining of people, some lump sum compensation, and investments in those towns that ensure manufacturing towns remain economically viable. Towns that lose jobs to outsourcing become prime locations for new manufacturing concerns that relate to new innovative technologies. All that is needed is for this (the set aside funds constituting no more than 2% of profits) to become corporate policy by virtue of SEC legislation and eventuality of outsourcing of manufacturing need not create ghost towns out of manufacturing towns.
I appreciate your taking the time to pen a response.
