Got lots of freedom of speech & democracy, but wages drop the most in 30 yrs

[RonRon]

TAIPEI - TAIWANESE wages dropped the most in 30 years in the first nine months of this year, as the effects of the global financial crisis took their toll on the economy, a government official said on Wednesday.

Average wages from January to September were down 6.23 per cent from the same period last year, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics.

'It's the sharpest drop in 30 years,' said Mr Chang Yi-sui, a press official at the directorate general. 'In the first half of the year, the economy had not yet recovered completely.' Exports account for about 70 per cent of Taiwan's economy, meaning the global crisis hit the island particularly hard with its key electronics sector suffering.

Taiwan reported a contraction in its gross domestic product of 7.54 per cent for the second quarter, following a 10.13 per cent fall in the previous three months after it plunged into recession at the end of 2008.

Third-quarter data will be released on Thursday. -- AFP

 

[singveld]

ktv business look to fall.

 

[Choon Yong]

better to have money than freedom?

 

[longbow]

Taiwan is pretty much reliant on China's economy. From economic point of view the reunification is complete. A large part of taiwanese wealth are in Chinese factories.

China will offer the HK/macau special administrative zone concept for the Taiwanese.

In the past, Tawan benefited from the "1960s US war against communism". But US is now more focused on war on terror, namely Afghan/Iraq/Pakistan and cannot be bothered nor can they afford other adventures. Just read that Afghanistan alone is cost US $4B a month! Iraq with 150K troop probably costs another $7B a month.

So China has become the superpower in Asia and the Americans cannot be bothered with taiwan.

 

[tonychat]

reunification your ass lah... taiwan is near china, the taiwanese courageous ( means have balls) will surely venture to china. What cock are you talking? They are very different from sinkies who are even scare to go to JB.

 

[Char_Azn]

better to have money than freedom?

The money vs Freedom talk is actually quite Bullshit. If you look at all the so called "Free World" countries, the vast majority of their protests are centered around money or benefits issues.

If you look into the history of human civilisation, the rebellion and overthrowing of dynasties boils down to the same thing, the majority of the population are either taxed so badly or supressed so badly that they don't have enough to eat, in another word, no money. The French, the leading example of democracy overthrowing the monarchy, did it coz they had nothing to eat(no bread eat cake anyone?). Same goes for the Russian revolution, not enough to eat. The Brits fought their own King and created the Magna Carta coz the King was trying to control taxes and the Americans rebel against the British coz they didn't like the tax imposed on them.

Talk about Freedom is just a nice way to disguise the fact that pple want more rights to demand more money or control money taken from them. In the end Money rules the world.

 

[longbow]

That is precisely my point.

Taiwanese businessmen have relocated much of their factories into China. All their $$$ is sitting in China. You just imagine disengaging the relationship. The Taiwanese businessmen will not allow for it. It would mean selling their factories for cents to the dollar. Given Taiwan's cost of doing business they can never be profitable and the very factories that they sell will now be competing against them.

 

[longbow]

Totally agree with you. And without money, democracy is bogus, just a convenient term. Lets use India as an example. How can they really be a true economy if 600M do not even have toilets, where 200 million face starvation. If their democracy were real, they would have voted in new leaders to change their condition. Instead in many of these 3rd world democracy you keep seeing the same leaders despite the same poverty. In India it is Gandhi, Gandhi, in Philippines it is Marcos, Aquino. In these poor "democracy" a few $ will buy you a vote.

Even over in the US those with $$$ can lobby their own interest.

The money vs Freedom talk is actually quite Bullshit. If you look at all the so called "Free World" countries, the vast majority of their protests are centered around money or benefits issues.

If you look into the history of human civilisation, the rebellion and overthrowing of dynasties boils down to the same thing, the majority of the population are either taxed so badly or supressed so badly that they don't have enough to eat, in another word, no money. The French, the leading example of democracy overthrowing the monarchy, did it coz they had nothing to eat(no bread eat cake anyone?). Same goes for the Russian revolution, not enough to eat. The Brits fought their own King and created the Magna Carta coz the King was trying to control taxes and the Americans rebel against the British coz they didn't like the tax imposed on them.

Talk about Freedom is just a nice way to disguise the fact that pple want more rights to demand more money or control money taken from them. In the end Money rules the world.