• Allonzee@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Because “free markets, competition, being voluntary” are propaganda by capitalists using their owned media and purchased government to make its victims double as its defenders.

      The goal of market capitalism is to end competition often by buying out up and coming rivals to kill the threat, manipulate the markets to your advantage using anything from bribery to cost benefit analysis of potential consequences/fines for sociopathic actions to potential profits, and conspire with your economic sector to coerce the workers you need into accepting less.

      This is just expanded indentured servitude with a marketing team.

    • BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Because we don’t like free markets. We like the illusion of choice, but the security of monopoly.

    • flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      This isn’t competition, it sounds like the CCP heavily subsidises the manufacture, in an attempt to kill the American industry off.

      Thinking in decades or centuries is a very powerful tool!

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        This isn’t competition, it sounds like the CCP heavily subsidises the manufacture

        China: “Here, have a bunch of cheap electric vehicles to replace your aging fleet of ICE engines. Don’t worry, we’re picking up a part of the tab.”

        Americans: “What a great deal! We’ll buy them in droves.”

        State Government: “Not so fast! This wouldn’t be fair to honest, hard working domestic car companies like Tesla and Volvo and Toyota.”

        Thinking in decades or centuries is a very powerful tool!

        Shame we’re only capable of thinking about the next quarter’s profits.

        • Lad@reddthat.com
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          4 months ago

          There’s something very amusing about the nominally communist China beating the capitalist powerhouse USA at its own game.

          • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Large professional centrally planned economies do a better job of managing scarce resources than a pack of ill-informed and uncoordinated Wall Street Lemmings.

            • WildPalmTree@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Sometimes. And when they dont, there is no one to stop them. It’s the age old problem of a wise despot. Just dressed in different clothes.

              • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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                4 months ago

                It’s the age old problem of a wise despot.

                When you’re governing wisely, there is no need to be despotic. Conflicts and contradictions necessitate a large militant police state to keep the lower class in line. But when you’ve got generous surpluses and a rising quality of life, people are generally happy and easy to govern.

                • WildPalmTree@lemmy.world
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                  4 months ago

                  Despot means you have absolute power. It doesn’t mean you use it badly. It just means you have the potential to.

                  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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                    4 months ago

                    Despot means you have absolute power.

                    Traditionally in a cruel or oppressive manner.

                    The wise leader doesn’t need to inflict cruelty, because they have the public’s trust.

      • SeattleRain@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        The US subsidizes their EV industry twice as much as China. The real why China can do this is because the US has gutted their industrial base in favor of financialization while China built up their industrial base.

          • SeattleRain@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            No that’s just the US not being competitive because stock buy backs and layoffs are easier than building good cheap cars.

            • flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works
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              4 months ago

              …or both. Think about it, if what you’ve said is completely true (I don’t disagree, BTW), why would they bother subsidising?

              They’re trying to ring fence the market. That the US is helping then is only vaguely related

              • SeattleRain@lemmy.world
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                4 months ago

                But it’s not both. How can you produce something for cheaper with less subsidies unless your just better at it.

                It’s like saying the winner of a race had an unfair advantage even after giving their opponent a head start.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      On top of the other things people are saying, I guarantee that the U.S. automakers will do a “China will take your jobs” thing if this happens.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Because they’d send them there… to save a buck.

        Or rather a whole lot of bucks.

    • Aux@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Because the US is an authoritarian pseudo democracy being run by cartels. And free market and capitalism is a death sentence for them.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        It’s hilarious to me that you neglect to mention that the Chinese government is heavily subsidizing the vehicles specifically to undermine other automakers.

        Not that the US are the good guys here, but this is just more of the trade war crap between China and basically everyone else.

          • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            It is. it’s a bit different in context though.

            but the OC was trying to paint China as being innocent victims. which they are far from.