Re: Wrong!!!
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I'm only replying to this because you totally ignored what that guy was saying. His point acknowledged the "perfect" transaction between you and your friend. You ignored the crux of his argument; the other people in the world who suffered from the trade.
Baseball cards are a weak example, the scenario you created was a perfect one in which both of you ended up with cards of the player you wanted- with no other criteria by which to judge the value of the cards. This doesn't attack the thesis whatsoever.
Here's a relevant analogy: You go to the store to buy a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt sells for $40. You value the sweatshirt more than the $40 and the store owner values the $40 more than the sweatshirt. Win-Win? Not exactly, here's why.
The "other people" the poster above is talking about are the store employees, perhaps more significantly the sweatshop workers in other countries that have no real choice in the transaction and anyone else who may somehow be affected by the deal.
While it could be true that the 2 cents per hour they make, they value above their time and effort- in reality it's a forced scenario in which the worker has no choice or basis to make a value judgment.
I want to throw away my bachelor's in Econ. when people talk about Free trade being win-win.
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I'm venturing away from my area of knowledge here, and you obviously, with your degree, have more of an idea of what you're talking about but...
Though sweatshop conditions and the employees may dislike what they do--would they do it if the cons outweighed the pros. Though pennies an hour may be small pay, it's better than nothing, and although the would be better off if they had dollars per hour pay, pennies is still more than nothing. It may be a sickening scenario and we think they "lose" from the transaction--but the alternative of starving is worse, isn't it?
How exactly have they lost?? It may be a bad situation to begin with and still bad after the transaction, but it is better than not having the work.
Please help me understand where I am wrong; I am very interested in this and you seem more than qualified to help. Thanks. (I am serious and not being sarcastic, just FYI.)
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