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Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:33 PM Jun 2016

It was not factory jobs that created the great American middle class [View all]

It was a combination of:

1. Government intervention into the management of companies that forced them to collectively bargain with workers.
2. Labor laws e.g.the 40 hour work week and OT pay
3. Lack of foreign competition
4. Discrimination against African Americans and Women which limited competition for White men and raised their wages
5. Fear of the spread of Soviet communism for which a large middle class would act as a buffer

None of these things would return if we brought back every factory job in the world onto American shores. If that were to happen, you would have to pay American workers the same wage as the factory workers in other nations. Otherwise, these companies would not be able to compete. For example, if Apple made every product in the U.S., they would have to pay their factory workers the same as Samsung or go out of business.

Folks, globalization is here whether you like it or not. There's nothing that a president can do.




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Left out was the word "unions". guillaumeb Jun 2016 #1
Using your argument Yavin4 Jun 2016 #6
They are the "foreign competition"... kentuck Jun 2016 #7
I was replying to your list. guillaumeb Jun 2016 #18
Unions created the middle class AgingAmerican Jun 2016 #2
Unions were getting killed in the streets Yavin4 Jun 2016 #4
Every country on earth with a large middle class has strong unions AgingAmerican Jun 2016 #10
+1 Go Vols Jun 2016 #25
Becase it was cheaper than revolution. rug Jun 2016 #12
Don't forget the GI Bill....nt Wounded Bear Jun 2016 #3
Big factor Freddie Jun 2016 #14
Many Americans don't aspire to be "factory workers" either. MADem Jun 2016 #5
That's the thing that's so strange about the romanticization of manufacturing alcibiades_mystery Jun 2016 #9
I have a relative who worked for a summer in a manufacturing plant. MADem Jun 2016 #16
The history of manufacturing and labor revolt 1965-1975 alcibiades_mystery Jun 2016 #17
You are right. It put food on the table, but it didn't feed the soul or the mind. MADem Jun 2016 #20
Good post treestar Jun 2016 #19
Thanks! nt MADem Jun 2016 #21
+1, "I am a fan of FAIR trade, where that playing field is reasonably level, " uponit7771 Jun 2016 #24
that's exactly what they want you to think. nt TheFrenchRazor Jun 2016 #8
Th GI Bill jump-started the floundering middle class Brother Buzz Jun 2016 #11
You forgot to factor in ... GeorgeGist Jun 2016 #13
Unions. Starry Messenger Jun 2016 #15
Been said before, I'll say it again: * U * N * I * O * N * S * made the middle class baldguy Jun 2016 #22
Lots of government money KT2000 Jun 2016 #23
lol SoLeftIAmRight Jun 2016 #26
Unions and the GI Bill. Hekate Jun 2016 #27
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