3/28/2007

poor buggers - indon quarry workers

1500 quarry workers in Karimun out of jobs and running out of money. There could be another few thousands in Batam and Bintang in the same state of despair. Thanks to their govt for looking after them so well. Their govt is trying to get them a better deal, a better price for their granite and sand by demanding that buyers must pay the price they want. This is how they think business should be done, a seller's market. They do not need to read economics to know that the price is determined by demand and supply and needs to be negotiate and not shaft down the buyer's throat. For the time being the quarry workers can go hungry for all they care. Poor pawns in a big corruption game. Any price increase will not translate to any increase in their pay but go to someone else's pocket. The people deserve the govt they get.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Govt interference in the market is the root of the this.

In ALL cases of govt interference in the market, WHO suffers the most?

It is the people who are least able to defend themselves—children, workers (and anyone on fixed income), the under-educated, the poor, the elderly.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

there are two kinds of govt interference. one kind sincerely thinks that it is doing it for the good of the people.

the other kind thinks only of what they could get out from it at and the people are non issue.

Anonymous said...

Wrong again redbean.

2 kinds of govt interference are:

1 Legitimate interference— to stop robbers, murderers and violent enemies

2 Illegitimate interference— where the govt interferes with PEACEFUL relationships between individuals who act in voluntary ways. The govt applies force so that individuals are FORCED to act in certain ways, thereby removing the individuals natural right to make choices.