transfer of gold/wealth and raw materials from the east to fund the ‘industrial revolution’

That part is nonsense.

Gold (and silver) actually flowed east, starting with supplies from the New World and going via middleman countries. That bullion flow caused constant worries in the west.

The Industrial Revolution did not use “raw materials from the east” but things like coal obtained locally and cheap cotton from the Americas. In fact, until steam engines improved, they weren’t economic at all outside coal mining areas where cheap waste coal was available.

What was taken from the east was highly relevant to the other wealth gains of the west, but not to those particular things.

And J. Murray is right. Chidlren not working is not a right. It’s a luxury, available only to the rich (relatively speaking), such as people living in the US. And even then only recently. My grandfather, who was born in the US in 1899, only got up to an eighth grade education, and then went to work. (Well, actually, since he lived on a farm, I’m sure he worked even when he was still in school.) It’s just the way it was. Many people couldn’t afford to send their children to school until the age of 18. And why should they? An eighth grade education gave them the essentials they needed; reading, writing, basic math, and basic knowledge of American history and government. People couldn’t afford to forego a child’s income so he could study luxuries such as Latin or literature. Only after people were already getting wealthy enough so that they could afford to keep their children in school was it forced on them by law, and a lot of that was due to unions. And no, the unions didn’t care deeply for children. They just wanted protectionism against a work force that was cheaper than they were.

A child in a 3rd world country who has to work may seem like a tragedy to us, but to him or her, it may seem like a small price to pay for having decent clothing, shoes, basic medical care, or even decent food. Who are you to tell that child he shouldn’t work?

How do you protect American companies selling to foreign markets from foreign competition? Are we going to make Germany institute a tariff that allows in American products, but not Chinese or Japanese products? Protectionism may have worked somewhat when America was the major market for products. Now that the world is globalizing, other people in the world can buy those foreign competitors’ products too, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Protectionism will weaken America’s industries by giving them a crutch to grow dependent on, while foreign competitors become stronger by standing on their own two legs. The real way to make American labor more competitive, long term, is to build more automation, so that the productivity of the American worker is leveraged and increased. Hell, I think it would be great if American workers could make $28/hour for making small cars here in the US. But the only way that will ever be profitable is if there is enough manufacturing automation. Protectionism is not the answer. Capital, i.e. capitalism, is the answer.

I would allow prostitution in general, but I would neither support it (contribute to it) or advocate it (tell others they should consider it as a career).

Insofar as it’s more dangerous than other professions and the age of consent is variable, the age at which I would say someone can legitimately make the decision to be a prostitute would be variable.

Your use of “subject” implies force. I’m not ok with anyone forcing anyone of any age to do anything. If you are intending to say that a child is being encouraged to do something by being provided privileges (or having privileges taken away) but without the threat or any actual physical violence I’d still be against that.

How I would act due to being against this is largely context dependent. I believe that private arbitration will not at all be for parents or anyone else abusing children in this kind of manner, and even though it doesn’t rely on force it’s still clearly abuse. I’d definitely pursue it from that route if possible. If not, then I’d consider vigilantism a real alternative.

The child age question has to remain open and context dependent because not every individual is exactly the same. So I think that any arbitration system that exists should factor questions of individual maturity in and not base decisions on age alone.

I have to say you asking all these questions doesn’t get anywhere to your original point that children shouldn’t have to work at all. Sexual consent is an entirely different matter from most other labor where children would be reasonably productive.

Considering the situation, I think the family name is ironic.

Of course, I am the only working class person who reads this website. I’m the only person on this list who isn’t an example of evolution, homo superior. You all will form the new master race.

The seeming prosperity and glittering power of Spain in the 16th century proved a sham and an illusion in the long run. For it was fuelled almost completely by the influx of silver and gold from the Spanish colonies in the New World. In the short run, the influx of bullion provided a means by which the Spanish could purchase and enjoy the products of the rest of Europe and Asia; but in the long run, price inflation wiped out this temporary advantage.

The result was that when the influx of specie dried up, in the 17th century, little or nothing remained. Not only that — the bullion prosperity induced people and resources to move to southern Spain, particularly the port of Seville, where the new specie entered Europe. The result was malinvestment in Seville and the south of Spain, offset by the crippling of potential economic growth in the north.

Of course there were other problems. Read Murray Rothbard’s “An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought, vol. 1, Economic Thought Before Adam Smith”

Big words coming from someone who is probably a teenager living with his parents. It’s easy to talk tough behind your computer about those other kids who weren’t as lucky to be born in a nice country like you.
It’s hard to think you are an adult when you have some kind of cartoon character representing you.

But gold mainly came from the West, not the East. Also, that large influx gold caused quite a few problems for the nation that benefited most from it, Spain. But if you are concerned about China and India, rest assured that the more the market is allowed to operate, the sooner they will achieve the share of global wealth that their populations have historically implied. Let’s hope they don’t repeat the same mistakes various Western states did.

But still why should it necessarily be bad to have children working? A seven year old can sweep floors, stack shelves, pack groceries, etc. I’m sure an eighteen year old with ten or more years work experience is far more employable and full of more commonsense than an eighteen year old who has just left high school with no work experience whatsoever.