Questions of economy
As a student of National Taiwan University, I am embarrassed that the institution employs economics professors as naive as Lu Hsin-chang (盧信昌), who claimed the following in a recent article: “The trade system is capable of dealing with the short-term impact caused by climate change. Unless world population growth skyrockets, agricultural trade is expected to be healthy and prices will remain stable” (“The nation’s agricultural policy needs overhauling,” June 8, page 8).
However, this is not true for the short term and even less so for the long term. Lu still seems to think that markets can regulate everything when it has become increasingly clear that we need better government regulation and investment concerning everything from food safety and security to environmental protection.
Just a quick read of Wednesday’s Taipei Times would have set Lu straight.
The UN reports that food speculators have greatly influenced food prices during the past few years and will continue to do so unless regulated by the world’s governments (“Speculators pushing up food prices: UN,” June 8, page 6). Food speculation by corporations and the wealthy explains the short-term price hikes which make food unaffordable to the poorest. Much worse is that food prices can only go up in the long term. More people want to eat meat-based diets, while water supplies are drying up and climate change creates unpredictable weather patterns that drive up food prices worldwide (“Warming planet puts additional strains on food supply chain,” June 8, page 9).
Again, the solution does not lie in promoting the “capable” trade system (aka the free market), but in governments investing more in a new “green revolution” to deal with the problems caused by climate change and water scarcity. Naturally, greenhouse gases need to be cut worldwide, and Taiwan is still one of the worst offenders.
If these examples do not make the case for more active government oversight, the latest food scares surely do (“Global food chain emphasizes profit more than health,” June 8, page 9 and “Food scare presents test for public,” June 8, page 8). And that is all in one day’s reading. Seems like somebody did not do their assignment.
Let’s hope students will one day be taught by economics professors who also read about environmental issues instead of blindly believing in the so-called wisdom of the free market.
FLORA FAUN
Taipei
Easing the pain?
Proponents of the death penalty say that it is necessary because it helps the families of the victims feel a sense of justice, thus alleviating the pain and suffering of losing a loved one to crime.
With the recent news of the wrongful execution of air force serviceman Chiang Kuo-ching (江國慶), I have been thinking about this a great deal.
How much did the execution of Chiang alleviate the pain and suffering of the raped and murdered girl’s family?
Very little I suspect.
But how much has the knowledge that an innocent man was murdered to give them this slight solace increased the family’s pain and suffering?
A great deal I expect.
BILL MCGREGOR
Fengyuan
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
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