One of the definitions of intelligence is that you learn from the past. Like wise, the definition for stupidity is not learning from the past! That is the point of this blog.
I used to live in Argentina and know a little about its history and its current economic situation. There used to be a common expression, "Rich as an Argentine" and that was true. At one time Argentina had the highest median income and wealth of any country in the world, including the USA. That was back about just 75 years ago. The lesson is, "What has changed" or "What went wrong?"
First, a little history. Argentina's history is much like that of the USA. When the Europeans first came to Argentina they found it settled by Native Americans who were hunter gatherers. They had no Buffalo as did North America, but they did have millions of acres of grass land waiting to be exploited. The new settlers killed off the Native Americans much like we did here. Next, the settlers introduced cattle that thrived without the need to clear land, plow or irrigate. A very few cowboys could handle thousands of cattle. Imagine that they had about 500 cattle for every Argentine. A cow today is worth about $1,000, so that would make the median Argentine worth about $500,000. I would say that was "rich" compared to the USA today that is less than $10,000. As time went on the raising of cattle got more and more efficient, thus needing fewer cowboys. What did our of work cowboys do? Same thing that they try to do here. Produce something with their "value added" labor.Their problem was just like ours. No one wanted what they were able to make because they could buy it cheaper some place else. Starting to see the picture?
Next came WWI and WWII in Europe. Since Argentina thought they were so "rich" they let in millions of people from Europe who wanted to get out of forced draft by the armies. Little did Argentina realize that these new "mouths" had to be fed with the cattle they had. They did not realize that these new "mouths" could not produce anything of salable value to offset the cattle they were eating. Sound familiar? The government of Argentina actually charges a tax on the exportation of beef. When I lived there, it became against the law to eat beef on certain days of the week so that the immigrants did not eat up all the beef such that none would be available for export. Argentina needed the money from exports to pay their bills and beef was the only thing that they had that anyone wanted. I ask you, when was the last time that you purchased anything that was made in Argentina except for wine which is a product of resource exploitation? Never!!
The USA is lucky because we have a lot more and varied types of natural resources, but if we think we are "rich", just wait until many more millions of immigrant "mouths" get into the USA. If you can tell me what products these new "mouths" are going to produce that can be sold to the rest of the world, then we don't need the immigrants. Just like Argentina, our farmers need fewer and fewer cowboys or cucumber pickers. What are we going to do with the people and their children who were just a few years ago needed to harvest those farm corps. You only have to look at the central valley of California to see how bad the situation has become. I would not want to live between Sacramento and Bakersfield for any amount of money. It is a hell hole and getting worse every day.
A few countries have figured this out. Look at Qatar and Saudi Arabia. They don't let in new immigrants and they are "rich" and they want to stay "rich". How about Switzerland? They don't want any immigrants there? Switzerland won't let them in, period. How happy do you think the people of British and French are now since they have let in so many?
The bottom line is that it is over population and that problem only has one solution and that is for immigrants to stay home and solve their own problem by reducing their population. China woke up to this reality about 40 years ago and they know that it may take 100 years or more to actually solve their problem.
Argentina used to be "rich" but not any more. We also used to be "rich"too, but not any more. Learn the lesson from the past before it is too late!!
PS---Simple test for immigrants. What are they going to "make" with their "value added labor" that can be exported to earn the money to feed them? There is nothing!
I used to live in Argentina and know a little about its history and its current economic situation. There used to be a common expression, "Rich as an Argentine" and that was true. At one time Argentina had the highest median income and wealth of any country in the world, including the USA. That was back about just 75 years ago. The lesson is, "What has changed" or "What went wrong?"
First, a little history. Argentina's history is much like that of the USA. When the Europeans first came to Argentina they found it settled by Native Americans who were hunter gatherers. They had no Buffalo as did North America, but they did have millions of acres of grass land waiting to be exploited. The new settlers killed off the Native Americans much like we did here. Next, the settlers introduced cattle that thrived without the need to clear land, plow or irrigate. A very few cowboys could handle thousands of cattle. Imagine that they had about 500 cattle for every Argentine. A cow today is worth about $1,000, so that would make the median Argentine worth about $500,000. I would say that was "rich" compared to the USA today that is less than $10,000. As time went on the raising of cattle got more and more efficient, thus needing fewer cowboys. What did our of work cowboys do? Same thing that they try to do here. Produce something with their "value added" labor.Their problem was just like ours. No one wanted what they were able to make because they could buy it cheaper some place else. Starting to see the picture?
Next came WWI and WWII in Europe. Since Argentina thought they were so "rich" they let in millions of people from Europe who wanted to get out of forced draft by the armies. Little did Argentina realize that these new "mouths" had to be fed with the cattle they had. They did not realize that these new "mouths" could not produce anything of salable value to offset the cattle they were eating. Sound familiar? The government of Argentina actually charges a tax on the exportation of beef. When I lived there, it became against the law to eat beef on certain days of the week so that the immigrants did not eat up all the beef such that none would be available for export. Argentina needed the money from exports to pay their bills and beef was the only thing that they had that anyone wanted. I ask you, when was the last time that you purchased anything that was made in Argentina except for wine which is a product of resource exploitation? Never!!
The USA is lucky because we have a lot more and varied types of natural resources, but if we think we are "rich", just wait until many more millions of immigrant "mouths" get into the USA. If you can tell me what products these new "mouths" are going to produce that can be sold to the rest of the world, then we don't need the immigrants. Just like Argentina, our farmers need fewer and fewer cowboys or cucumber pickers. What are we going to do with the people and their children who were just a few years ago needed to harvest those farm corps. You only have to look at the central valley of California to see how bad the situation has become. I would not want to live between Sacramento and Bakersfield for any amount of money. It is a hell hole and getting worse every day.
A few countries have figured this out. Look at Qatar and Saudi Arabia. They don't let in new immigrants and they are "rich" and they want to stay "rich". How about Switzerland? They don't want any immigrants there? Switzerland won't let them in, period. How happy do you think the people of British and French are now since they have let in so many?
The bottom line is that it is over population and that problem only has one solution and that is for immigrants to stay home and solve their own problem by reducing their population. China woke up to this reality about 40 years ago and they know that it may take 100 years or more to actually solve their problem.
Argentina used to be "rich" but not any more. We also used to be "rich"too, but not any more. Learn the lesson from the past before it is too late!!
PS---Simple test for immigrants. What are they going to "make" with their "value added labor" that can be exported to earn the money to feed them? There is nothing!
