Mercantilism

[Helena]

I think that depends. It certainly could be good for a nation.

My grip with the US is not producing strategic resources at home. Like rare earth minerals.

What are some ways we could do that effectively? What land is left that people won't be up in arms about? Business Insider reports that just one REM mine would cost about 500 million. That's not counting all the lawsuits and delays.

What are some possible avenues of solution?

[RMNIXON]

For the most part Trade has been a good thing, but I have no problem picking and choosing who you do business with and the rules that will apply. As Trump has said, we have a bad history of poor trade agreements. Our interests should always come first and if another country can benefit all the better.

[Peter1469]

What are some ways we could do that effectively? What land is left that people won't be up in arms about? Business Insider reports that just one REM mine would cost about 500 million. That's not counting all the lawsuits and delays.

What are some possible avenues of solution?

The moon and asteroid belt.

[Helena]

The moon and asteroid belt.

Is that cost effective? Isn't there a treaty about the moon?

[Dr. Who]

True, but as an idea not linked to a power grab, but simply strengthening a country's core, do you subscribe to the general air of logic behind it?

The only way to avoid the power grab is to generally do without those things that either can't be domestically produced or can't be domestically produced cheaply. Would people even accept that? While that degree of self-sufficiency is much easier to achieve in the U.S. than say the U.K., there is still the problem of needing to derive revenue from exports and other countries would be unlikely not to impose crippling tariffs on U.S. goods. I also wonder how well fiat currency would fare in a mercantile system?

[carolina73]

Well, Trump is more of a mercantilist than he is a free-market capitalist. Mercantilism is pre-modern and might well be better than the mess pure individualistic capitalism leads to.

Unrestrained Globalism is shooting itself in the foot.

[Chris]

Mercantilism was directly linked to colonialism. The basic injunction against importing goods/materials from foreign countries alone encouraged imperialism for obvious reasons.

CRT again.

[Peter1469]

Is that cost effective? Isn't there a treaty about the moon?

No treaty specifically about the moon. There is the outerspace treaty that prevents its militarization. We ought to ignore that.

Yes mining the moon and the asteroid belt is cost effective. The people who get it done will be the first trillionaires on earth.

[Chris]

Unrestrained Globalism is shooting itself in the foot.

It is ironic that individualism leads to indeed promotes globalism. But individual self-interest, even in conjunction with others' self-interest, recognizes no borders--please note I am not saying selfishness. Nationalism calls for economic interests to serve national interests (federalism state interests but we're beyond the Articles of Confederation). Sanders and his democratic socialism is nationalistic but serves only the lower classes. Any nationalism of worth has to serve the interests of all.

[carolina73]

The only way to avoid the power grab is to generally do without those things that either can't be domestically produced or can't be domestically produced cheaply. Would people even accept that? While that degree of self-sufficiency is much easier to achieve in the U.S. than say the U.K., there is still the problem of needing to derive revenue from exports and other countries would be unlikely not to impose crippling tariffs on U.S. goods. I also wonder how well fiat currency would fare in a mercantile system?

Agree but there is also the ability to minimize the effect instead of giving it up.

Control what you can.

If you do not have the raw materials then:
Manufacturing of the goods is first.
Processing of the raw materials is second.
Mining is third.

It may be that you have to buy the raw materials and then you need multiple sources to protect yourself. That's why China is active in Africa right now building relationships with the countries where these minerals are more abundant.

If you do have the raw materials then you can reverse the order and be the source of the material leading to processing and then manufacturing the goods.

Currently we should be searching the US for lithium for battery technology and making sure we have strengthening relations in Chile and Bolivia.

Otherwise China is going to move in on those sources with the intent of locking us out.