Mirko Lauer Quotes
… pigmy economies
Mirko Lauer, Peruvian Politician (Social Democrat), Description of third world economies, Quoted in Rafo Leon, “Peru’s Globalization Problem,” Foreign Policy November/December, 2002
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Referring to the greenhouse effect and global warming problems being caused by the devastation of tropical rainforests:
Although the Premier recognizes the importance of environmental protection it is difficult for China and other developing countries to make the necessary trade off’s at the expense of slower growth which means continued poverty. Even in the United States with all its affluence, slowing economic growth for environmental reasons is politically very difficult.
One dramatic example of this principle is that India at the end of the 20th century had more billionaires than the United States did.
The relationship of population increase economic growth is a critical one. If an underdeveloped country manages to have a 3% annual economic growth rate and also has a 3.2% population growth, at the end of the year, the average person is actually poorer than he was the previous year. South Korea, China, Thailand and India implemented successful population control and family planning programs before they were able to take advantage of economic development. To modernize, the country must be able to have a surplus of funds which can be invested in roads, schools, hospitals, and other facilities which can produce even more growth later. Too many new mouths to feed, clothe and care for can be a barrier to development even if the economy is reasonably good.
For almost a century this is an attack that conservative Republicans had made on Democrats. Yet the two greatest period of poverty, the Great Depression and the Great Recession occurred in Republican Administrations and recovery began under Democratic Presidents. The two great targets accused of wanting to spread the wealth around were Presidents Clinton and Obama In each case, the country was more affluent after 4 years of spreading the wealth, there were more jobs and average incomes were up—well better than when they took office from Republicans. There are two great theories of how wealth and prosperity is created. Conservatives argue that government should give money (or reduce tax burdens) and resources to the wealthy and they will invest it to create jobs and everyone will prosper. Liberals argue that the government should invest (spend money) in programs that strengthen the middle class and give them money or (reduce their tax burdens) and consumer spending which accounts for 70 percent of the economy will increase and the rich owners of the corporations will also make more money. Clearly both of these approaches seem to have worked at different times in American history; however, both of them have been failures at other times. (The George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter Administrations for example.) However, that is the political economic issue which must be decided by each American generation.
