The World Is Flat (Part 1): Competition On Our Plateau
On August 9, 2005, Brett posted the first installment of The Rebelution’s first-ever series: “The World Is Flat.” He had just finished Thomas Friedman’s book by that title, and was asking himself, “How does a level global playing field affect teenagers?” The following post was his attempt at answering those questions.
The convergence of technology and events over the past several decades has allowed India and China, as well as many other countries, to become major players in the global supply chain for services and manufacturing; so argues Thomas L. Friedman in his book, “The World Is Flat.” As the title indicates, Friedman believes that the playing field is being leveled.
This isn’t news to us. The “Made In China” label can be found on winter jackets from Timberland, on the cheap toys accompanying McDonald’s Happy Meals, and on the yellow Livestrong bracelets that champion cancer research. Many of us have recognized the thinly veiled Indian accent of the young man walking us through our computer glitch, though not all of us know that this Microsoft employee is actually working from a cubicle in Bangalore, India.
Technology has multiplied the possibilities for collaboration. Call center operators and assembly line workers can be hired, paid, and put to work wherever it is cheapest and most efficient to do so. This is recognized by Microsoft, Dell, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Nike, Wal-Mart, Texas Instruments, etc, etc, etc. The newest methods of collaboration have been adopted in the medical field, where doctors can scan handwritten medical reports, diagnoses, and prescriptions at night before heading home and receive them back the next morning as transferable digital files (carefully transcribed by workers in India) and peer reviewed (most likely from doctors in India or Australia who operate in the opposite day/night time zone).
This means that China, India, Australia, etc. are gaining the ability to do work that they wouldn’t have been able to do 10 years ago. More importantly, they’ve taken work that was done by Americans 5 years ago and are doing it for a fraction of the cost. Why the change? Technology. Fiber optic cables that run to all corners of the globe carry anything that can be digitized, and countries far behind us are picking themselves back up by feeding on the scraps from our table. They do our manufacturing, they man our call centers, and they wait their turn. For now many of them seem to understand that the United States paves the way, but others seem ill content to remain inferior. As one Chinese businessman put it, “First we were scared of the wolf, then we wanted to dance with the wolf, and now we want to be the wolf.”
These countries have been pushing themselves to compete with the U.S. and have now been granted the technology to stand on our plateau. The question is, “Are we ready for them?
September 29th, 2006 at 5:18 am
Since discovering your website I have been engaged by your writing. You show such maturity for men your age. However, I am disappointed with this article. Whether intended or not, the tone and message that came across is that America is THE BEST country/culture in the world, though unfortunately other “lesser” countries are catching up…the playing field is being leveled.
Being an Australian I find that somewhat offensive. If you have never visited or lived here, I think you should do some more research before making broad statements about our quality of work in the past, present or future. And I dislike being labelled “inferior”.
The tone and attitude of your article is arrogant, and I am disappointed.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:46 am
Ruthie: I guarantee you that neither this post nor the book, \”The World Is Flat,\” on which it is based, are intended to imply that American is THE BEST country/culture. It is without question the strongest nation on earth, however, the purpose of this post (and series) is to show that other countries (including Australia) who are working harder than we are, deserve that title more than America. The whole point is that America has become complacent, unlike other countries.
I apologize if this doesn\’t come through clearly enough for you, however, this was the very first post (and series) I ever wrote — so I expect for there to be many deficiencies.
October 2nd, 2006 at 12:36 am
Thanks for your reply. Your point is clearer now. I think that unfortunately my country is perhaps following the lead of yours. We also are becoming complacent and sending jobs offshore.
I apologise if I was harsh in my comments. America is a very influential country and at times I almost resent it. It frustrates me that people are so much like sheep, following the leader.
Keep up the good work with your articles, they are excellent. Your Godly character shows through them and is encouraging.
January 25th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Why is this article on this web-site? There’s nothing Christian in it at all.
August 5th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
I think you did well, Brett, for this being your first post…
but anyway, I guess it is good though that other countries are able to have access to medical stuff so that they can further their medical tequniques.
Hopefully other countries won’t follow too closely though in America’s footsteps culturally (except in maybe democracy)…we [America, not including most of us Christians] kill babies and call it “woman’s rights”, accept homosexuality as a norm, and consider outright teenage rebellion as a “coming of age” thing to be expected…
It is kind of annoying though that so many computer companies have computer help lines in other countries (like India) that dont speak English well… not because I dont like non-English countries , but because it is really hard to understand them because of the heavy accents. especially with such tedious stuff as computer malfunctions and whattnot.
But if other countries are working harder than America, I think they deserve to succeed more than America (even though I live here)… and who knows? maybe that would be a good incentive for us to work harder, and not sit back lazily and expect the little “work fairy” to do it for us…
~Elisabeth J. Gruber
September 11th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
I believe in free trade and other works of democracy. But the truth is, Americans are losing jobs because of the cheap labor that companies are finding in China, Malaysia and other countries around the world. Are their not enough companies in those countries to sustain a work force? The United States is now being plagued because of our reliance on foreign goods by shoddily-made Chinese products that may or may not be intentionally tainted with lead. We need to bring back our companies and buy American made goods whenver possible. National defense and consumer confidence and security are at stake when we consume massive amounts of Chinese made products. Not only that, but we are also financing a government that is the largest persecutor of Christians in the world. It was estimateds that in 1995, nearly 20% of the Chinese GDP went toward upgrading and modernizing the Chinese military. There is a little tid-bit to ponder.
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:21 am
In response to Bobb Banar, I would like to point out that it has only been in the recent years that China has began openning up to foreigners, in the name of progress. I would thus suggest that if your main motive were to further Christ’s cause in this world, supporting the progress of developing countries like China IS the way to go. Coming from a country with close ties to China (Singapore), it has been nothing but encouraging to see the opportunities for spreading the word of God increase, with the increased accessibility to China. For example, Translation of the bible in Chinese and various other ethnic languages found in China have been able to make much progress in Recent years. Perhaps this is the chance for the gospel to reach the ends of the earth. Furthermore, throughout history, the persecution of the Church has often led to periods of revival, and i believe that China is ripe for such a period. What may seem detrimental to your country may in fact be part of God’s plan to bring all the world to him.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Yes, I’m ready- for the economic gain that will come from global economic development and competition.
China (or another nation) may surpass the US someday, but another nation’s skills and riches can benefit the US economy in absolute terms because of the principle of comparative advantage. Even if the US is inferior to the other nation in every conceivable area, it will still be beneficial for the totally superior nation to trade with the US (an inferior nation) so that it can gain wealth through specialization.
Pretend that Lisa and Sue both grew up baking bread. Sue is a faster baker of better-tasting bread, producing $150 worth of bread a day, while Lisa is relatively slow and only produces decent-quality loaves, only worth $75 a day. However, Sue is also a talented actress. She can make $6000 a day working on the movie sets.
What job should Sue focus on? Well, acting, of course. The opportunity cost of having to buy bread from a mediocre baker (Lisa) is well-justified by the benefit of her acting, a higher-profit career.
In the same way, China’s increased skills and riches should not be a problem for the USA. Of course, improving our economy is always a lofty goal. As they develop better goods and services more efficiently, we can import their improving products at a lower prices. As their citizens become wealthier, they can have more more money and expanded demand to buy our products.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Bobb: Although China has had problems with lead in the past, this has significantly diminished the reputation of their products. The free markets have been self-policing in that this downturn in reputation causes a downturn in demand, so that the businessmen and government have an incentive to fix the problem. Thus, despite international anarchy, or a lack of regulation and rule of law between nations, international trade is quite and increasingly safe.
Additionally, although China is a human rights abuser, trading with them is an essential way to build a relationship with the nation and its people. We not only directly export a system of capitalist enterprise, or economic freedom, but our influence increases political freedom within the region. Such trends towards liberalization are evident in China. I, and many political science scholars, believe the country will no longer be Communist in a number of years.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Allison:
A few comments about your last paragraph; I would dissagree with what you said about trading with China’s being an essential way to build relationships with China’s people. First, I want to take into veiw that many of the people in China who are making the products we buy, are being forced to work against their will. Many times, when citizens in China are arrested, for reasons like meeting in underground churches, they are used to make products in factories, without being paid. Kind of like slavery. It seems like trading with China and buying their products is encouraging that. It doesn’t really seem like we are building relationships with the citizens of China, to me it more so seems that we are simply strengthening Chinese government.
I also want to reccomend a book; “Safely Home” by Randy Alcorn. It talks about Chinese government, etc.
Again, these are just my thoughts and ideas. I haven’t studied Chinese culture in an in-depth way at all, so I don’t have any proof for my ideas. Just thoughts.
-Coco B.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
As I continue to study the Bible I am amazed by what I see there, sadened by my desire to still do things contrary to it, and challenged to fully live according to the belief that God knows the best way to live.
I like getting interest for the money that I leave in the bank. Something extra for no more work on my part. The challenge is to see that there is a time to loan money to people without reward because they need a helping hand. (I am not talking about wealthy people who could just save money and build later but are in a hurry.) In many ways by growing up in America I have a feeling of entitlement that I should get interest for my money in the bank. That feeling of entitlement causes me to be more likely to criticize the governments current decisions and to have a bad attitude. Allowing such things in my life steals my joy and pulls me down. In the end I have no right to second guess such complicated decisions of which I can only see a fraction of what is involved. In the end I am told by God to never grumble or complain. Am I willing to live that way?
If you want an interesting Bible study look at the references about the Sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee. Do not forget to notice the correlation between the Sabbath year and how many years Israel spent in exile. Then picture the world today living with those laws. Picture yourself as a hard worker who is ethical and determined. Picture what you and your family could gain through that in 49 years. Now ask yourself how you would feel at that point when all property reverts to the original owners, all debts are forgiven, and all slaves are set free. Would you rejoice in the incredible display of grace, forgiveness, and love or would you be bitter when it could be that a lot of your hard work is redistributed to people who you feel don’t work as hard? As God continues to work with me on this I find it a challenge to my heart and a challenge to trust God more thus rejoicing more in grace, love, and forgiveness even when it costs me something. I must, like Job, remember that God gave me everything that I have. I will not be able to keep any of this. It is much better to buy with this that which I can not loose. Will I truely imitate Christ and give my all?
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
It’s a really challengin topic to think about! Someone (I don’t remember whom) once said, “America is great because a America is good. When America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” Now even thought I don’t believe that America is “good”, but there is a lot of truth in that statement.
The Bible doesn’t mention anything about a “great country to the east” in Revelation. While that may be that that’s only because America hadn’t been discovered yet, but it may be that America will be destroyed.
Revelations also mentions that 1/4 of the world will be destoyed; if you look at a map of the world, America makes up about 1/4 of the world.
Obviousy, these ae just speculation that some have made, but I suppose that they are possible. Of course, God could sweep America with a huge revival if He wanted to. (KEEP PRAYING!!)
just some thoughts!
June 16th, 2009 at 2:44 am
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