Live data from Hacker News

Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

cbc.ca

21–30 of 127 posts

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#21
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except it's not. China has reached the stage in economic development that people are moving to higher skilled and higher paying jobs. Infrastructure in Vietnam has improved to the extent that is ready for large manufacturing plants. While companies are saving by moving manufacturing plants, many people (millions) in Vietnam are going to experience higher standard of living. I say it's a win win.

> many people (millions) in Vietnam are going to experience higher standard of living. Aren't therefore many people (millions) in China going to experience lower standard of living?

Not really, because they are moving to higher paying jobs than assembly-line work.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#23
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except it's not. China has reached the stage in economic development that people are moving to higher skilled and higher paying jobs. Infrastructure in Vietnam has improved to the extent that is ready for large manufacturing plants. While companies are saving by moving manufacturing plants, many people (millions) in Vietnam are going to experience higher standard of living. I say it's a win win.

Except for the people they'll lay off as the plants move? It didn't work out wonderfully for the autoplant workers at Flint and Detroit; for some reason, the people didn't get the upgrade you speak of after the plants closed. Weird, huh?

If we kept thinking like that all our clothes would be hand-woven.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#24
post #11
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder what happens when they run out of countries to move to.

Wages go up.

Hahaha! Very funny.

Perhaps we'll move away from consuming things that need to be manufactured and towards digital goods instead.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not at all. Like the other article linked by nodata, companies are moving from China to Vietnam because its cheaper. Seems a little greedy.

>>>Seems a little greedy. Which actually benefits us as the consumer. Would you prefer a less greedy corporation that goes where the most expensive labor is which then increases the cost of production which then increases the cost of the products you buy from said company? Greed is what keeps prices low, and competition high.

> Would you prefer a less greedy corporation that goes where the most expensive labor is which then increases the cost of production which then increases the cost of the products you buy from said company?

Well, yes actually, if the higher cost of those products buys me something that I believe to be worthwhile. There's a whole bunch of stuff I am willing to pay more for, higher quality, better customer service, local ownership or representation, good labor practices, environmental concern, and on and on. I hate this idea that somehow price is the only thing that companies can compete on.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#26
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not at all. Like the other article linked by nodata, companies are moving from China to Vietnam because its cheaper. Seems a little greedy.

I wonder what happens when they run out of countries to move to.

They move to another country because the people in the first company become rich enough to demand more money. Sounds like a win. :b The real problem is if they stay in the same place forever because that place is poor forever.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#28
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except it's not. China has reached the stage in economic development that people are moving to higher skilled and higher paying jobs. Infrastructure in Vietnam has improved to the extent that is ready for large manufacturing plants. While companies are saving by moving manufacturing plants, many people (millions) in Vietnam are going to experience higher standard of living. I say it's a win win.

> many people (millions) in Vietnam are going to experience higher standard of living. Aren't therefore many people (millions) in China going to experience lower standard of living?

The economy is not a zero-sum game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lump_of_labour_fallacy

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#29
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder what happens when they run out of countries to move to.

Wars and a nanny-state. Probably before that hits, automation for most of the product. Eventually we will need very few people to produce any part of the product. We will automate resource extraction. Automate resource delivery. Automate resource refinement. Etc. So this leaves us with a large population that has little point in the current economic system. So we'll get higher unemployment globally. Historically this…

hard to fight automated soldiers with intelligence tracking of your movements since birth from low earth orbit

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not at all. Like the other article linked by nodata, companies are moving from China to Vietnam because its cheaper. Seems a little greedy.

>>>Seems a little greedy. Which actually benefits us as the consumer. Would you prefer a less greedy corporation that goes where the most expensive labor is which then increases the cost of production which then increases the cost of the products you buy from said company? Greed is what keeps prices low, and competition high.

> Greed is what keeps prices low, and competition high.

I'd replace "prices low" with "value per dollar high" or "efficiency high". Most of the replies to your comment complain about cheap products or claim higher prices are better if they come with particular outcomes. To be fair, they have a point.

However, the average commenter here doesn't have to choose between buying new work clothes and eating meat this month, so you have a point as well. So I'd generalize the sentiment to value per dollar or something similar.

Post reply on HN