Patriotism or Idolatry?

America has bought many Asian goods for the past many years. However, as we can see, America is not the only nation that buys Asian products. We see in various places that products have tags that say “Made in China”, or “Made in Taiwan”, etc. Many Americans, though, resent the fact of there being so many Asian products coming inside their country. This is because they have been configured in a way that makes them believe this is bad for the country. They believe it makes them lose their jobs. I think that the fact of them being so patriotic has led them to believe that having more American goods in their nation is better for the nation. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but implying that this may not be necessarily true. Though, every nation is patriotic, America is the most patriotic nation I have ever seen. Ever since the child begins to attend school, it is taught to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and is almost forced into believing in the “goodness” of its government, without there being a bad side. Sometimes this patriotism has led to the killing of other people from other nations. Not to mention the gigantic hatred against Muslims, or Arab countries.

I believe that taking your nation in your heart is right, but idolatrizing your nation takes you into sudden error, and racism. This has not been different in the envy against Asians that export so many goods into their nation. Tariffs are imposed with the excuse of protecting you, when they are nothing but sales taxes that only benefit the government. (The Lies of Trade). I believe that when the government refers to the economy of its nation, it is also referring to its political good. Have you ever asked yourself why politicians are so rich? Where do you think they get the money from? Apart from counterfeiting, they use taxes. (Freedom from Mammon). One of the reasons, and I believe the most important reason why the government has made people believe why tariffs are so necessary, or why having so many imported goods from other nations is not good for the nation is because it looks after its own good, not the public. Let me put it to you this way, do taxes benefit you? Does inflation benefit you? Do higher prices benefit you? No, no, and no.

What does it mean to have more imported Asian goods inside of your nation? The answer is competition. Not nationally, but individually. If your nation only had American goods, then America wouldn´t have to worry about competing well, and therefore, prices would be higher. However, if you have more imported Asian goods, or any other nation´s goods inside of your nation, then competition would get harder, and companies would be forced to lower their prices benefiting you. Nevertheless, when tariffs come along companies are protected, forcing them to not compete better, forcing imports to have a higher price, forcing you to pay higher taxes, and forcing you to buy more expensive goods. Do you see the picture? Who benefits?

The important thing is not resenting Asians, because of their imports that are benefiting you, but understanding the trade process. Once Asians sell to America, they receive dollars, and where do you think they will spend the dollars? America. They can buy from America goods, including its exported goods.

Do you think that the trade process between two individuals magically changes when is shifts to two nations? The truth is that the trade process never changed. What changed was the ideas in the minds of the people due to patriotism, but one that is erroneously founded.