On 6/23/07, Vitaliy <spam@maksimov.org> wrote:
> If companies can get people from India or China, to do the same job for less
> money, what is wrong with that? Before you answer this question, think about
> these questions:

> - Why should programmers get special protection? What about other people
> (say, textile workers)? Why don't we just close down the borders (or impose
> high tariffs on all products), and thus protect ALL industries?

I think this is because US does have an edge in hi-tech industry. And it is
very hard to be competitive in labor-intensive sectors. In fact, there
are many industries that US do excel, like the finance service sector.

In the days of globalization it is very difficult to be self-sufficient even
though US is so lucky to have plenty of nature resources and a good system.

> - If the company's only goal is to pay unlivable wages to its programmers,
> how can the foreigners survive (they too have live in the US), and what is
> their incentive to come in the first place?

The salary is not really unlivable, just lower than the one who holds the job
before. They can survive. They can live a better life after getting the green
card and later the citizenship. Their children can live a better life. These
are all incentives. Sometimes people just blindly believe that life in
US is good.

> - Why not give the American educational system a kick in the pants, so it
> would start churning out smart, productive programmers who can successfully
> out-compete people from the outside?

I do not know much about the school education system here. However
I certainly think the children are happier here than in China/Japan/India and
might be more creative. And I think there are many good universities here.
The US PhD programs are certainly one of the best among the world.
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