>>> irrelevant. And if you have an unrestricted flow of goods and ideas, it is 
>>> difficult to maintain a police state in its traditional sense, hence 
>>> countries that are open to trade are, as a rule, more democratic than the 
>>> ones that aren't.
>> 
>> Or un-democratic enough to believe to be able to afford allowing 
>> 'foreigners' to do things on their territory. Preferrably in specially 
>> delimited zones and with special derogations to local legislation (knowing 
>> that their own nationals would be dispossesed, tried, deported and maybe 
>> shot - not necessarily in that order - if they would do such business 
>> themselves, as the 'foreigners' are doing in their alloted 'free trade 
>> zones').
>
> Examples, please.

Until a few years ago, the only places where one could open (or rather 
co-own with a local state-spawned and owned economical entity) a factory 
in China was in a 'special regime zone'. They had to use their own money 
(different from the one on the 'outside'). Similar zones exist to this 
day in various countries, usually in guise of 'free port zones' and 
similar, often near borders. They have special tax regimes which make 
local businesses gnash their teeth and can get away with employment 
standards similar to the worst third world countries known. It's like a 
fat cat county in the middle of a normal country, extempt from all laws. 
Of course someone makes money from this and of course there are some 
perfectly legitimate businesses operating out of them.

>>> Note that US allows unlimited immigration from countries with a similar 
>>> standard of living (for example, Great Britain). Makes sense - since you 
>>> have similar living conditions, the Brits won't emigrate in huge numbers 
>>> and drive down the wages.
>> 
>> I think that you are not familiar with the immigration laws of the USA. I 
>> am not a US citizen but I seem to know a little more about it than you do.
>
> Would you mind substantiating?

To the best of my knowledge the US does not allow 'unlimited 
immigration' from *any* country, not even Canada, and hasn't since the 
1940's at least. See here:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/index.htm

If you search a little on the Internet you will find a few juicy 
scandals started by the ins which deported or otherwise bothered 
legitimate tourists from Europe and elsewhere.

Peter
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist