Capto Iugulum Background Thread

[Jehoshua]

Not if you make it big enough.

I suppose thousands of jobs could be created in the ever popular field of manual labour in an effort to topple the statue if its big enough

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

Well speaking in general terms, the hardest problem that faces a developing nation in a global economy is the fact that you could either buy cheaper goods from an established power, which makes life easier or you could suffer and build up your own base of production. Unfortunately, people don't tend to like suffering for the greater good, and so typically what has happened historically is developing nations tend to unrest, which in turns prevents development. On the other hand, the "quick fix" of buying goods from another power prevents a true industry or development from taking place in the developing nation as they are forced to sell of resources to afford the goods they need to pacify the people. Of course that's a greatly simplified generalization of what happens in a developing country, but it seems to me that seems to be the root of the problems that many countries have. There are some success stories for both approaches, but for the most part, developing nations seem to fail more often than triumph.

 

[Jehoshua]

Thus the arguments for tariffs. Tariff foreign goods (at least in certain kinds of industry) to encourage local enterprise (infant industry development) and only consider free trade once you're sufficiently developed. The argument is more complex than that, but my interests don't lie so much in economics so I don't feel qualified to speak beyond the basic points.

The argument against this of course is that tariffs produce inefficient industry due to lack of competition, and risks counter-tariffs and rent-seeking. But in the paradigm of Capto one has to consider what you said and wonder whether a less than efficient industry is superior to sitting in a cycle of deprivation (rent seeking perhaps being less of a problem due to the obvious limitations of a simulated system).

 

[christos200]

Well, I will make Chokweland a success story.

 

[Jehoshua]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-9tsAZTS1M

A suitable allegorical reference to Chokwelands ambition and aims?

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

Well in terms of Capto Iugulum, I find it interesting long-term for two reasons. First of all, industrial growth was far more rapidly embraced and encouraged in this timeline than OTL. This in turn has spurred forward technological advancement, especially in consumer goods (imagine! WW2 may be the first televised war!). On the other hand, the level of industrial and technological advancement made in the "Developed" world means that those who fall behind or start from further behind will find it more difficult to keep up. Production in the industrial world will keep surging and surging, and as industry grows, we'll be looking at increased demands for raw materials. The ramifications are intriguing.

 

[Shadowbound]

Which will ultimately bite industrialization in the ass, as the main consumers of industrialized goods are countries that are also industrialized.

 

[Jehoshua]

Indeed the ramifications are interesting, most particularly in that the dichotomy between the haves and the have nots could potentially become very broad. Although if the developed world develops a fascination with the kind of welfare state that evolved in the latter days of the 20th century OTL increased production costs would likely seeing a gradual relocation of the less technologically advanced industries to cheaper alternatives.

At any rate, I'm just pleased I joined the development bandwagon before the Papal States got left behind. That industrial park had very little benefit at the time, but its probably what kept the Papal States' economy stable during the current financial difficulties.

 

[Crezth]

Well in terms of Capto Iugulum, I find it interesting long-term for two reasons. First of all, industrial growth was far more rapidly embraced and encouraged in this timeline than OTL. This in turn has spurred forward technological advancement, especially in consumer goods (imagine! WW2 may be the first televised war!). On the other hand, the level of industrial and technological advancement made in the "Developed" world means that those who fall behind or start from further behind will find it more difficult to keep up. Production in the industrial world will keep surging and surging, and as industry grows, we'll be looking at increased demands for raw materials. The ramifications are intriguing.

Production "surges" mostly occur due to two reasons: an increase in the number of workers (in direct opposition to the desire of industrialized nations to begin converting its population to the white whale of GDP/capita, service-based employment) or an upgrade in the level of deployed technologies (usually very slow when the technologies are being discovered for the first time). Undeveloped nations that solve their agricultural problems can rely on increasing manpower and are usually limited by what kinds of technologies they can procure from already-developed nations (if there are any) or originate on their own. With good governmental policy, these technologies can be obtained, and their subsequent implementation into the economy is what drives the majority of meteoric growth.

This is the primary reason OTL countries like Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China were able to meet and exceed "first-world" development levels so rapidly.

 

[Luckymoose]

What is the status of television in CI? I know I spent some time working on radio entertainment years ago, but I haven't seen much about television. The important question is, if we have television, what is the status of them in Brazil? Nearly 20 years of advanced education and science subsidies must be paying off by now.

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

@Crezth, no argument here, the most interesting ramifications I find will be for African nations more than highly populous Asian states like the examples you listed. Also, get in orders you slacker, you're holding up the war!

EDIT: @Luckymoose: I recently had this discussion with Immaculate I think it was. Television is around, but so far has not achieved mass purchase and appeal. There are actual functioning and broadcasting television stations for moderate entertainment, but so far, no one has made a television cheap enough or worthy enough for mass production and consumption. As previous post implied, it's coming like a freight train to a few nations.

 

[Luckymoose]

EDIT: @Luckymoose: I recently had this discussion with Immaculate I think it was. Television is around, but so far has not achieved mass purchase and appeal. There are actual functioning and broadcasting television stations for moderate entertainment, but so far, no one has made a television cheap enough or worthy enough for mass production and consumption. As previous post implied, it's coming like a freight train to a few nations.

I'm very interested in television in Brazil. Would you kindly?

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

Let me get my golf club first, and then I'll be happy to.

 

[Jehoshua]

considering Brazils interests and circumstances, one would think production of an idiot box is somewhat of a lesser priority at present.

 

[Luckymoose]

considering Brazils interests and circumstances, one would think production of an idiot box is somewhat of a lesser priority at present.

An idiot box is a powerful tool for the present circumstances.

 

[Jehoshua]

better it never exist, than the proles have its utility though

 

[Circuit]

better it never exist, than the proles have its utility though

Apparently in TWTUD, Lucky made extensive use of television in Dar-al-Islam to brainwash the masses. He gave everyone a television and brainwashed them all.

 

[Jehoshua]

Apparently in TWTUD, Lucky made extensive use of television in Dar-al-Islam to brainwash the masses. He gave everyone a television and brainwashed them all.

Nothing out of the ordinary then, considering television today OTL is used to brainwash the masses I don't watch television due to the utter idiocy and intellect killing lunacy that spews forth from the things.

 

[Luckymoose]

I want to have forty cultural submissions a turn about new television shows. D:

 

[m.t.cicero]

I want to have forty cultural submissions a turn about new television shows. D:

Survivor: Chokweland