Readers who grew up in the 1970s and 80s likely remember a frequent comment from their elders about a failure to finish one's meal: “there are millions starving in China.” Fast forward to the present and China's still poor, but it's exponentially better off than it once was. Thanks to an evolving embrace of economic freedom and free markets, the country once defined by starvation and death is now a crucial part of any discussion about global economic growth.
Basic logic dictates that China's rise from misery is a wonderful thing. Human flourishing is on its own beautiful, plus every day that the Chinese get up and go to work is a day that Americans get a raise. With the Chinese eager to consume the world's plenty, they're naturally producing feverishly in order to attain that same plenty. Americans gain from Chinese production, and similarly benefit from their fascination with all things American. There are countless examples, but at present there are two times more Starbucks in Shanghai than in all of New York City.
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