I’ve been trying to pick debates with friends who go on facebook or some other outlet and post links to nonsense articles explaining how “capitalism” or "free-markets’ or “big business” are destroying America, exploiting the masses, and responsible for all things odious and vile. It’s usually a futile endeavor to convince such people otherwise, you can’t add to a cup that’s already full, but the debate forces me to sharpen my arguments and understand the theories involved. People also need to learn about this stuff, even if it’s from me, because change will never happen otherwise.
Anyways, I understand the basic premise to free-markets. It enables people with better access to trade, enables resources to go to more efficient uses, lowers the costs for consumer goods, and helps raise millions around the world out of poverty by growing the global economy. That’s all fine and swell, say the objectors, but look at America! Our (low-skill manufacturing) jobs have been sent to China, businesses are trying to cut wages, or already have, and the middle class as we know it is rapidly becoming a relic of the past! Woe to the honest American worker!
My instinctual counter is that the loss of these jobs is only part of the story, that there is also growth in other sectors of the American economy that made up for the loss until our government-fed housing bubble finally burst. I try to argue that jobs are not being sent to China because companies are evil, but are reacting to the demands of the American consumers who are buying all the cheaply manufactured garbage to begin with! Lastly, I argue that the emergence of new technology, of new markets, of cheap labor, all of it causes some jobs in some area to vanish, but that creative destruction is a necessary and natural process that has occurred since time immemorial. As long as the economy grows, jobs will necessarily have to increase, too. The nature of WHAT jobs are available to us and the wage we’re offered is determined by our education, skills, talents, and productivity. Free-market capitalism was not designed and manufactured by man, and therefore not beholden to your concept of “social justice.” Despite this, it is fair because everyone has the freedom to fulfill their destiny according to their own wishes.
And so it ends. I would be greatly appreciative if you could help me identify talking points that are particularly efficacious at converting the heathen masses, or argumentative strategies to gain the upper hand against an intractable foe. I did some digging through the forums and couldn’t find much on this subject - if you know a past thread covering this, please link it and tell me to go on my way.