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Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

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  • Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

    http://www.askbutwhy.com/2009/08/sir...erview-on.html

    Some excerpts:

    Sir Fred Goldsmith

    "There has been a divorce between the interests of transnational corporations and society"

    "There were 4 billion people outside of the free market - separated by ideology and other concerns. These people are now in the free market and will work for nothing"

    "In Brazil, the favelas did not exist before the Green Revolution intensified agriculture"

    Bringing the 'most efficient' agriculture to the rest of the world means 2 thousand million people out of 3 thousand million people would be forced into mass migration into cities and slums

    [how much of China's urbanization migration is due to this?]

    "I think that our financial system is extremely fragile. I think that - you can that in the volatility of currencies, you can see all sorts of weaknesses. I believe that there is an incredible amount of danger in things like the derivatives. I think that we are moving towards the outer limits of acceptable risk taking.

    ...

    The figures that I've seen - the world GNP is something in the region of $30T. And I believe that the derivatives outstanding every night - which to a large degree are speculative - from the banking and other institutions are about equal to the annual turnover of the world.

    So we've gone very far. Our financial system is dangerous and it could create problems for the real economy."

    "People who say - you have to go and build the infrastructure in the 3rd world - I would recommend that you build the infrastructure right here where you need it."

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Laura Tyson - then Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, now economic advisor to Obama

    American workers are more productive and therefore can be paid more

    [Doesn't seem to have worked out that way]

    http://www.workinglife.org/wiki/Wage...ges+(1964-2004)

    REAL WAGES
    1994-2004
    Average Weekly Earnings (in 1982 constant dollars)
    For all private nonfarm workers
    YearReal $Change
    1994259.970.72%
    1995258.43-0.59%
    1996259.580.44%
    1997265.222.17%
    1998271.872.51%
    1999274.641.02%
    2000275.620.36%
    2001275.38-0.09%
    2002278.911.28%
    2003279.940.37%
    2004277.57-0.84%
    www.bls.gov

    Year Labor productivityOutput per workerOutputWorker hoursAll WorkersUnit labor costsLabor compensation
    19942.34.530.7-1.403
    19953.32.4-0.8-4-3.22.71.9
    1996-0.41.20.91.4-0.34.85.7
    1997-1.2-1.21.42.72.77.69.1
    19983.50.8-0.4-3.8-1.12.82.4
    19997.66-2.9-9.7-8.4-1.8-4.6
    2000-0.4-1.1-0.6-0.20.665.4
    2001-1.7-1.40.92.62.36.67.6
    200240.9-3-6.7-3.8-1.3-4.2
    20032.21.5-0.4-2.6-1.92.31.9
    2004-7.9-5.3-1.47.14.112.711.1
    2005-10.1-8.8-297.519.116.7
    2006-9.1-8.4111.110.217.819
    2007-6.4-6.706.97.112.112.1
    [seems little relationship between productivity and costs OR compensation]

    The GATT Uruguary round will increase exports by leveling the playing field for American corporations in foreign countries. American companies will not move production abroad, rather they will complement existing production.

    [The import/export numbers make this a lie]

    trade 1994 2008.bmp

  • #2
    Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

    From 1964

    Wages and Benefits: Real Wages (1964-2004)


    REAL WAGES
    1964-2004
    Average Weekly Earnings (in 1982 constant dollars)
    For all private nonfarm workers
    Year
    Real $
    Change
    1964
    302.52

    1965
    310.46
    2.62%
    1966
    312.83
    0.76%
    1967
    311.30
    -0.49%
    1968
    315.37
    1.31%
    1969
    316.93
    0.49%
    1970
    312.94
    -1.26%
    1971
    318.05
    1.63%
    1972
    331.59
    4.26%
    1973
    331.39
    -0.06%
    1974
    314.94
    -4.96%
    1975
    305.16
    -3.11%
    1976
    309.61
    1.46%
    1977
    310.99
    0.45%
    1978
    310.41
    -0.19%
    1979
    298.87
    -3.72%
    1980
    281.27
    -5.89%
    1981
    277.35
    -1.39%
    1982
    272.74
    -1.66%
    1983
    277.50
    1.75%
    1984
    279.22
    0.62%
    1985
    276.23
    -1.07%
    1986
    276.11
    -0.04%
    1987
    272.88
    -1.17%
    1988
    270.32
    -0.94%
    1989
    267.27
    -1.13%
    1990
    262.43
    -1.81%
    1991
    258.34
    -1.56%
    1992
    257.95
    -0.15%
    1993
    258.12
    0.07%
    1994
    259.97
    0.72%
    1995
    258.43
    -0.59%
    1996
    259.58
    0.44%
    1997
    265.22
    2.17%
    1998
    271.87
    2.51%
    1999
    274.64
    1.02%
    2000
    275.62
    0.36%
    2001
    275.38
    -0.09%
    2002
    278.91
    1.28%
    2003
    279.94
    0.37%
    2004
    277.57
    -0.84%


    Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics



    The picture is even worse if you calculate real wages using Shadowstats CPI
    Last edited by Rajiv; October 16, 2009, 08:07 AM.

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    • #3
      Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

      Embedding the video

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

        Extraordinary and prescient interview. 15 years later, we can judge whether or not he was right...and he was, his predictions have come true.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

          Thanks Rajiv. What a great Interview. especially when he talks about implications on society due to Globalization, both in rich and poor countries.
          I see it everyday when families are broken up and labour moves to cities and other countries and no one wants to do Agriculture.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

            Thank you c1ue, Rajiv. Great thread. He was very passionate in his beliefs.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

              Here was Catherine Austin Fitts extract of his comments on Agriculture

              - Sir James Goldsmith on Corporate Agriculture

              [
              Sir James Goldsmith from an interview in November 1994, on the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) which created the World Trade Organization:

              The idea is to create what is known today as efficient agriculture and to impose it worldwide. Let me just give you one [impact] of GATT on the third world. The idea of GATT is that the efficiency of agriculture throughout the world should …produce the most amount of food for the least cost. But what does that really mean? …What is cost?

              When you produce the intensified agriculture and you reduce the number of people on the land, what happens to those people?…They are chased into the towns. They lose their jobs on the land. If they go into the towns, there are no jobs, there is no infrastructure. The social costs of those people, the financial costs of the infrastructure has to be added to the cost of producing food.

              On top of that, you are breaking families, you are uprooting them, you are throwing them into the slums. Do you realize that in Brazil, the favelas (slums) did not exist before the Green Revolution of intensifying agriculture.

              In the world today there are 3.1 billion people still living in rural communities. If GATT succeeds and we are able to impose modern methods of agriculture worldwide, so as to bring them to the level of Canada or Australia, what will happen? 2.1 billion people will be uprooted from the land and chased into the towns throughout the world. It is the single greatest disaster [in our history] greater than any war.

              We have to change priorities. Let’s take agriculture. Instead of just trying to produce the maximum amount for the cheapest direct costs, let us try to take into account the other costs. Our purpose should not be just the one dimensional cost of food. We want the right amount of food, for the right quality for health and the right quality for the environment and employing enough people so as to maintain social stability in the rural areas.

              If not, and we chase 2.1 billion people into the slums of the towns, we will create on a scale unheard of mass migration – what we saw in Rwanda with 2 million people will be nothing — so as to satisfy an economic doctrine. … We would be creating 2 billion refuges. We would be creating mass waves of migration which none of us could control. We would be destroying the towns which are already largely destroyed. Look at Mexico, Rio, look at our own towns.

              And we are doing this for economic dogma?…What is this nonsense? Everything is based in our modern society on improving an economic index…The result is that we are destroying the stability of our societies, because we are worshiping the wrong god… Economic index.

              The economy, like everything else, is a tool which should be submitted to, should be subject to, the true and fundamental requirements of society.

              …This is the establishment against the rest of society… I am for business, so long as it does not devour society…[But] we have a conflict of interest. Big business loves having access to an unlimited supply of give away labor…

              …You cannot enrich a country by destroying the health of its population. The health of a society cannot be measured by corporate profitability…

              …We have allowed the instruments that are supposed to serve us to become our masters.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                does anyone know where I can get a copy of his book 'the trap'? Since it was published in 94-95 it seems to be not in print.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                  Originally posted by chr5648 View Post
                  does anyone know where I can get a copy of his book 'the trap'? Since it was published in 94-95 it seems to be not in print.
                  http://www.amazon.com/TRAP-SIR-JAMES...0&sr=8-1-fkmr0

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                    I know that, but any other places?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                      Originally posted by chr5648 View Post
                      I know that, but any other places?
                      I guess I don't understand, but Amazon lists more than 20 book sellers that have it. I assume you don't like Amazon for some reason:confused:

                      here is the link for all of the sources

                      http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...4/ref=dp_olp_3

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                        I'm watching this now because of PoZ (thanks!). It started out very wonderful, but I can't believe how incredibly rude that woman is, constantly interrupting. It's hard to hear what he's saying because of her. It's like watching the O'Reilly Factor or something...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                          Originally posted by Rajiv View Post
                          Here was Catherine Austin Fitts extract of his comments on Agriculture
                          Fitts didn't even know about Goldsmith, his testimony, his Rose interview or his book until I gave her all the info... this was a few years ago. Glad to see people are finallly listening.
                          The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge ~D Boorstin

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                            Originally posted by davidstvz View Post
                            I'm watching this now because of PoZ (thanks!). It started out very wonderful, but I can't believe how incredibly rude that woman is, constantly interrupting. It's hard to hear what he's saying because of her. It's like watching the O'Reilly Factor or something...
                            +1 Beyond rude. I never paid attention to her back in the day, but I can see why she had many detractors. Actually, more annoying than her interupting is her condescending, "I know what is right" tone.
                            Last edited by wayiwalk; February 02, 2012, 05:17 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Who could have seen it coming? Sir Fred Goldsmith in 1994 + Laura Tyson (Obama economic advisor)

                              Originally posted by wayiwalk View Post
                              +1 Beyond rude. I never paid attention to her back in the day, but I can see why she had many detractors. Actually, more annoying than her interupting is her condescending, "I know what is right" tone.
                              This is deliberate authoritarian behavior, coached to appeal to that nature in the majority of the viewing audience. She's a prof at Berkeley now.
                              The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge ~D Boorstin

                              Comment

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