Definitely time for some protectionism

I shaved again this morning. The usual problem getting at hairs under the nose (the male anatomy and hair growth were definitely not a divine creation) aside, this was not a trying experience.

This though brought me back again as to how I bought this electric razor. For the uninitiated, we went to a specialist electronics shop last year, and checked out 12 different models.

What I checked mainly was the origin of the product.

What I wanted first of all was a product made in Germany (almost certain to be good quality, given the regulations here, and in the process I would be helping the local economy - keeping people somewhere in the country in work).

Second choice would have been a product from another European country, so at least we could help keep down the scourge of unemployment across the continent. I believe in the EU strongly anyway, and the circulation of European goods should help the people of Europe generally.

I checked all 12 products. None made in Germany, none made elsewhere in the EU (and none made in non-EU Norway or Switzerland either, in case you asked).

All - ALL - were made in the People's Republic (i.e. chronic dictatorship) of China!

Made no doubt by cheap labour (i.e. the people making them would hardly earn anything) in conditions that would never be accepted by people in Europe, in cities with air pollution levels that are banned in Europe, and where people are not allowed to organise to complain about the conditions under which they work (unlike in Europe).

Why do we allow this and support this? There is unemployment of over 20% in Spain and Greece. They cannot build a factory that manufactures electric razors in Oviedo or Thessaloniki? They are threatening again to close down the Opel works in Bochum. Cannot they build a factory that manufactures electric razors in Bochum?

People will only buy "cheap"? If we do not start rebuilding and regenerating European industry things will never improve and all anyone will be able to afford will be cheap garbage (manufactured under grossly unsatisfactory conditions) from China! The vicious circle will be fully completed.

It is time to reverse the trend. It is time to look at the goods imported, where they come from, and the conditions under which they are manufactured. Essentially then tariffs should be imposed so the values are equalled out, and companies in Europe can at least compete on the basis of quality not price (they would probably win hands down in that respect).

And I would apply outright protectionism against goods from any country that is without question a chronic dictatorship where human rights play no part in the way the country is run!