From the Deparment of Unintended Consequences: Nathan Gardels: China: From Democracy Wall to the Shopping Mall, And Back - Politics on The Huffington Post: "...Unlike organized labor or human rights groups, consumers don't have to mobilize to effect change; they only have to demobilize by not spending. And their bargaining agents -- WalMart, Target, Toys R. Us -- have immensely more clout than the AFL-CIO and Amnesty International ever had in fostering change in China.
Ironically, the Most Favored Nation treatment for China (and its later entry into the WTO) that labor and human rights groups so virulently opposed in the past has become a Trojan Horse. China's future is now so linked to the American consumer that it will be forced to curb corruption and strengthen regulation through the rule of law or face the certain doom of its export-led growth. No sanction is more devastating than consumer choice. Live by the market, die by the market, as the saying goes. For consumers to trust Chinese products, they must trust regulation. Regulation cannot be trusted without the rule of law which doesn't bend to bribery, fraud and quanxi (connections.)..."
2 comments:
but what if chinese products are the only things the poor downtrodden consumer can afford?
That is the pivot point. So the Chinese may prevail on this on just that issue of cost.
Post a Comment