• Mrkawfee@lemmy.world
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    10 days ago

    So free markets are a terrible idea now and countries practicing import substitution weren’t impoverishing their people.

    US hypocrisy at it’s finest.

    • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      „Free market“? Speaking of hypocrisy. Chinese car brands are so heavily subsidized they probably cost the Chinese economy more than they make selling them at the moment. China is clearly trying to drown the global market with cheap cars so they can ramp up prices immensely once they have killed the competition and have become a monopoly. China hasn‘t been the extreme low income country to produce super cheaply for a long time and they couldn‘t produce cars this cheap in a free market situation.

      Many countries and the EU have measures against such practices because state run operations with the sole purpose to destroy an industry (which this is) undermine the very idea of the free market or even trade relationships.

      Alternatively we could start subsiding local car makers and play the same little game China is playing but more cars is honestly the last thing we need right now. Tariffs are a much smoother option to deal with this even when they have a bad rep.

      Ideally we use that generated money from tariffs to subsidize public transport so we don‘t get cheaper cars but cheaper alternatives but that‘s still just a dream I‘m afraid.

      Whatever the case, one should look at super cheap cars and what that means in the long run more critically.

    • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      Free markets were always a terrible idea, the USA economic system was basically founded on principles of regulation of goods like tea, tobacco, and alcohol.

      • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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        10 days ago

        Pretty sure big oil and car companies have been bailed out by the US government in the past. Plus america designs most of its cities so that you need to own a car. Seems like both markets are equally “free” at the end of the day.

        • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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          10 days ago

          A one time loan which made money is hardly a subsidy by comparison to China right now. That’s an absurd comparison. Apples to oranges. Hell apples to baseballs.

          • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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            10 days ago

            There is also CAFE standards that made small, effecient vehicles require extremely high emissions standards while allowing looser standards for larger, less effecient vehicles. Effectively limiting foriegn market influence while increasing both the price and size of the average vehicle on American roads.

            • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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              10 days ago

              That’s not a competitive subsidy though. Anyone can and don take advantage of those emissions. The US does not have access to China subsidized materials or labor to compete in that market.

              BYD could build here and take advantage of that.