Openness

How open to openness am I?

Overall, extremely. Increased imports and exports between nations have so many positive effects. Countries that trade with one another are more likely to have an understanding of each others' cultures. A positive trading relationship helps deter, in some cases, a dangerous martial one. International trade helps spread technology throughout the world, rather than leaving it locked up and limited to a single country's use. And, of course, importing and exporting means that consumers are often able to choose the best quality product at the best price, just as companies are able to obtain parts or raw materials with the same benefits.

However, one concern I have about openness is that it seems to rely on a capitalistic economic structure. Not that a country has to be capitalist to participate, but the way imports and exports are managed throughout the world seems to be with a capitalist approach. Does that alienate those countries who are not capitalist? I worry that even when a non-capitalist country has a high level of openness, the very facts of the process could lead to the development of resentment. The United States is already an object of a great deal of hatred. Do other countries see international trade as a way for the U.S. to force capitalism and democracy on the rest of the world?

I don't have an answer to that, of course. I don't know what other governments are thinking. I may be completely off base. But the U.S. has gone to war with a number of countries with which it also trades. Often people ascribe these wars to greediness on the part of the U.S., a desire to obtain its imports at a lesser cost. Thinking about openness makes me wonder about these things. It's impossible to look at trade without considering the political ramifications. Nothing exists in a vacuum. How do all of these pieces fit together?