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by rayiner 4224 days ago
People are entitled to their self-interest, and it is in peoples' self-interest to avoid the race to the bottom that results from globalization. Furthermore, governments exist to serve their specific constituents, not to hew to abstract humanist principles.

Also, even within the context of abstract humanist principles, immigration isn't wholly positive. My family and I are immigrants to the U.S. It's been great for us, not so great for the country we came from that sees all its bright and ambitious people leave never to return.
3 comments
Retra 4224 days ago
Why are people entitled to self interest? Why aren't people entitled to group interest?

Governments exist because having them tends to lead to better decision-making than the alternative. That's all it requires. Nobody is proposing that anarchy would better serve anyone.

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LLWM 4223 days ago
A race to the bottom means a race towards efficiency. This is a net benefit to society. Sure, selfish people might stand in its way, and if you sympathize with them, that's your choice, but don't pretend it's something admirable.
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rayiner 4223 days ago
"Efficiency" usually just means more of the wealth of society accumulating to capital holders. Nothing admirable about that.
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LLWM 4223 days ago
Why not? The alternative isn't a more equal distribution of wealth, it's less total wealth.
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waterlesscloud 4223 days ago
Global "efficiency" is a net negative for every single person reading this.

Why are you standing in the way of it?

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seanflyon 4223 days ago
I care about people who are not reading this.
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waterlesscloud 4223 days ago
That's not the question. The question is why are you standing in their way?
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seanflyon 4223 days ago
Perhaps I've misunderstood your position. I think we should decrease the amount we stand in the way of foreigners who want to work in this country.
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icebraining 4224 days ago
It's been great for us, not so great for the country we came from that sees all its bright and ambitious people leave never to return.

Remittances alone are on the order of half a trillion per year, much higher than all foreign aid combined. And lots of people do return when they're older and richer.

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