[B-Chan]

You're wrong about some things (for example the Third-Worldization of the American labor force) but right about Russia. I own a comic book publishing company, and I'd love to publish comcs in the Russian language for their market, almost all of which is literate and uses public transport -- a perfect demo for my product. However, despite the many attractve aspects of the Russian economy (flat taxes, etc.) the bottom line reason I haven't made any effort towards going into Russia is that I don't want to have to pay the local mafia for the privilege of staying in business.

Social order counts. Without it, contracts can't be enforced, legal redress can't be had, and protection rackets will impose their own "taxes". Lack of social order -- not high-mindedness -- keeps U.S. companies from exporting jobs to hellholes like Zimbabwe.

[A. Pole]

Social order counts. Without it, contracts can't be enforced, legal redress can't be had, and protection rackets will impose their own "taxes". Lack of social order -- not high-mindedness -- keeps U.S. companies from exporting jobs to hellholes like Zimbabwe.

Unless the taxpayers insure safe profits for the companies exporting jobs.