Sure seems like you're blaming Amercian corporations alone for the growth of Chinese exports, Jimmy? Have you ever taken notice of how much Canada imports from these same factories? International Patent laws are not observed or respected in China. Period. They are unashamed to infringe entirely on any product, from any manufacturer in the world as it suits them. Because they are a huge market, global corporations endure their behavior.
Investors, SEC regulations, and lawyers dictate behavior of large corporations, Jimmy, not some evil boardroom hell bent upon lining their pockets at the expense of the "little man". As for Amazon being complicit, how does anyone expect them (Amazon) to police and apply policy to appropriately stifle this type of behavior? Really, is it their role to ensure that some individual entrepreneur is protected? I think not. If a business model is successful, it will be mimicked. Look upon the auto industry, cookware, computers, vacuum cleaners, furniture, etc, etc. EVERYTHING has competition. If it weren't for competition, there would be no Free Markets. Can't have it both ways.
If you are entrepreneur, then invest the requisite money to protect your product with a Patent. A business model is not protected, so unless you can tolerate competition, best you sign up to collect a payroll check and avoid the frustration.
I think you're being a bit disingenuous and naive Cal. It IS the corporations that for decades have sold out the North American middle class to share holders. It IS those CEO's that have benefited from enormous compensation/share packages and bonuses for driving corporate profits at all costs. Consumers are also to blame. We continuously look for the lowest price goods and often don't give a second thought to the big picture. We're greedy. We live outside ours means and consume at an unsustainable rate which forces us to continue to support the very manufactures that siphon the wealth out.
Competition is good for everyone providing it's fair competition. You don't get fair competition when you solicit cheep labour markets with deplorable human rights and an equally poor environmental record. When China's standard of living equals that of North America prices will level off and corporations will move to the next upcoming slave labour market.
What they failed to tell us in business school is that like water, economies find their own level. Are you willing to give up your comfy North American standard of living to help others achieve parity?
Canada isn't amune to the influx of poor quality, low cost Chinese products either. Our markets are linked at the hip. Consumers are the solution and we need to stop supporting companies that perpetuate the problem. Stop purchasing cheap products from countries that damage our economies and purchase from responsible producers. Our dollars keep the wheels turning.
