Made in China

Featured on the BBC news service yesterday was the rebalancing of the Chinese economy that all commentators agree has to be a very good thing. Their service sector is now larger that the industrial sector by a few percentage points, although manufacturing is still growing a great deal faster than anywhere else on the planet. Chinese consumers are buying Chinese made goods which is viewed as balance having been brought to their economy.

Whether or not we like the way the Chinese government runs its affairs, human rights and abuse of the environment being just two questionable features of their 'system', economically speaking the evidence of having a plan of action and sticking to it speaks for itself. The working classes are employed in manufacturing where they are able to contribute fully to the life of their nation and know that they count. There is now a vast middle class and they support the jobs of their countrymen, as well as buying high grade products from the Germans who occupy the top of the market where manufactured goods are concerned. As for the rich, they just carry on stashing their millions, much of which is obtained from British consumers and even more from Americans.

If you're old enough, cast your mind back to the 1960's which is when I was enjoying my childhood, and if you weren't anywhere close to even being a twinkle in your old mans eye back then, just take my word for it that the following is true. Fifty years ago the country was about as creative, balanced, safe and stable as it ever has been. This was the period before the trade unions took leave of their senses and set to holding the government and industry to ransom, which was the catalyst for the monetarism that became the governing philosophy of the land from 1979 onwards. Currently Britain's economy is anything but 'balanced' it is a complete and utter basket case, still reliant on casino banking, stripping out of the last assets not already given away, and cheap imports despite the evidence of exactly how unintelligent, unsustainable, and socially destructive that model for governance is. Maybe it's about time to get the blinkers off and to learn the lesson from our own past and China's present?