Live data from Hacker News

Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

cbc.ca

61–70 of 127 posts

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#61
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The economy isn't magical either; jobs lost in one region because the factories closed and moved to another aren't necessarily going to be recouped by new job creation in a short span of time.

Then we should probably do what we can to help the worst off in the economy, whether they've lost their jobs due to new technology, moving factories, or whatever, rather than trying to nail the factories down to one particular place.

>help the worst off in the economy

The problem with this is, the "factory owners" of the world run a political machine which they use to prevent that from happening, claiming it prevents them from building more factories. They use the same political machine to establish the moral goodness of continued factory building as axiomatic.

This makes everything rather complicated.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#62
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, the wonderful world of libertarian thought. Where sweatshops to make cheap shit for rich countries is a win-win.

Look at how far China has progressed. It has nothing to do with Libertarianism, and everything to do with Economics...

Surely it must be possible to have economic development in poor countries without sweatshop-level exploitation.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, the wonderful world of libertarian thought. Where sweatshops to make cheap shit for rich countries is a win-win.

Hundreds of millions of Chinese have been lifted out of poverty because of their manufacturing boom. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that you're still clinging to the outdated economic beliefs that used to keep the Chinese people poor and starving.

It's a broken world where the solution to poverty is the exploitation of a generation.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#64
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…

Another option : the haves will offer a tiny share of the economy(which with optimized technology might suffice for a basic standard of living) and zero influence to the have nots and drown them with escapism ,all controlled from above by a strong totalitarian state.

Sound familiar ? if it works so far, why won't it work further on ?

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not good publicity either way...

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.

Manufacturing from the US is moving to Mexico. The transportation costs are far less. Also, since they have the raw goods inside Mexico, international fluctuations of the US dollar will not influence costs as much.

I don't think Vietnam can compete with China until China stops treating its workers as slaves.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#66
post #10

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.

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.

The Philippines would also be a great place for manufacturers to look at.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Not all of them. Only the luckiest ones. 1-10% probably. The rest got laid off.

You suggest there are massive lay offs in China now because factories are moving to Vietnam? What are you talking about?

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not good publicity either way...

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.

What about it's not greedy but people like you wondering why should I pay 300usd for 24" LG screen made in China while I can pay 250usd for 24" Samsung screen made in Vietnam.

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#69
post #48
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When a company lowers costs, it doesn't cut prices, it increases profits. Luckily cell phones still have some competition, but the TV/Monitor market is price colluded to hell. Higher wages and better benefits benefit the consumer.

> the TV/Monitor market is price colluded to hell. How do you figure? TVs are cheaper and bigger than ever - they're practically giving them away. My understanding was that producers are pumping gimmicks like 3d and huge curved screens because there are absolutely no margins left in the commodity TV/monitor market.

Well there was that whole thing where the biggest companies in the industry plead guilty to a massive price fixing conspiracy over many years and paid hundreds of millions of dollars in fines…

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2008/November/08-at-1002.html

Re: Workers on Samsung factory site battle police in Vietnam

#70
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at how far China has progressed. It has nothing to do with Libertarianism, and everything to do with Economics...

Surely it must be possible to have economic development in poor countries without sweatshop-level exploitation.

Probably not, all of the developed countries went through a sweatshop phase at some point in their past.
Post reply on HN