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
To The Honorable Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜): We would like to extend our sincerest regards to you for representing Taiwan at the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday. The Taiwanese-American community was delighted to see that Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan speaker not only received an invitation to attend the event, but successfully made the trip to the US. We sincerely hope that you took this rare opportunity to share Taiwan’s achievements in freedom, democracy and economic development with delegations from other countries. In recent years, Taiwan’s economic growth and world-leading technology industry have been a source of pride for Taiwanese-Americans.
Next week, the nation is to celebrate the Lunar New Year break. Unfortunately, cold winds are a-blowing, literally and figuratively. The Central Weather Administration has warned of an approaching cold air mass, while obstinate winds of chaos eddy around the Legislative Yuan. English theologian Thomas Fuller optimistically pointed out in 1650 that “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” We could paraphrase by saying the coldest days are just before the renewed hope of spring. However, one must temper any optimism about the damage being done in the legislature by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), under
As Taiwan’s domestic political crisis deepens, the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have proposed gutting the country’s national spending, with steep cuts to the critical foreign and defense ministries. While the blue-white coalition alleges that it is merely responding to voters’ concerns about corruption and mismanagement, of which there certainly has been plenty under Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and KMT-led governments, the rationales for their proposed spending cuts lay bare the incoherent foreign policy of the KMT-led coalition. Introduced on the eve of US President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the KMT’s proposed budget is a terrible opening
To our readers: Due to the Lunar New Year holiday, from Sunday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 2, the Taipei Times will have a reduced format without our regular editorials and opinion pieces. From Tuesday to Saturday the paper will not be delivered to subscribers, but will be available for purchase at convenience stores. Subscribers will receive the editions they missed once normal distribution resumes on Sunday, Feb. 2. The paper returns to its usual format on Monday, Feb. 3, when our regular editorials and opinion pieces will also be resumed.
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