Economic ponder

ok i was thinking the other day.

in the early 19th century we had a transition begin from agriculture to industry.
then in the 50's industry to service.
in the 90's to information.

now with the loss of manufacturing jobs, but growth in other areas i think were in the middle of a new uniquely american buisness transition.

were moving to an administration economy.

while the labor jobs move overseas the administration field and all its supportive areas are growing.

were becoming the collective bosses.


what do yall think?

Originally posted by WarLord
We are becoming the paper pushers, little else.

We still live in a steel age.....don't believe me? Check out your car or washing machine.

If there is no manufacturing sector, who or what is the service sector going to service anyway?

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by WarLord
Technology matters nothing if you do not build the:

Buildings and facilities to house it
The railroads and surface roads to transport the hardware
The data infrastructure for transmitting information
And all of the things that go into theose buildings and use those roads

We live in a steel age still and will for quite sometime. Does your PC do laundry as well?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




hehe - no - but I wish it did

I didn't say that we didn't need steel. we need steel for may things as you noted. I said it wasn't as important as technology. I said we could make the best steel in the world if a sufficient profit motive to do so existed.

the point is still true.

we rely on information and technology - we don't push papaer as much as bytes or silicon -

we do have the technical expertise to make the best steel in the world and have the resources to make it

it is simply cheaper to buy it from other places than to make it here - see my comments regarding unions and the cost of labor

at no point did I disagree that we need steel - we Do need steel. It simply makes more sense to buy it for less than to buy it for more.

Would you rather make a washing machines or gyroscopic compasses, the world's fastest computers etc etc etc

[Adam D]

This is a growing discussion in political science. Personally, I think we are moving into a postmodern society where we are service/information economy-based, rather than production-based.

Originally posted by Adam D
This is a growing discussion in political science. Personally, I think we are moving into a postmodern society where we are service/information economy-based, rather than production-based.

already happened

we are financers and servicers

we do manufacture - very high-tech stuff.... but mostly we invent, finance and service