One of life's big mysteries

[BSS]

Well, I compltely disagree again. I think the primary function of a government should be to take care of its citizens.

I'm not sure why you mention that every villa has a soup kitchen and then say unemployed people need our suport; that seems contradictory, but perhpas it isn't. My question to you is why should it be up to people to help other people and not the government? I volunteer at two places and thinnk the government should do more.

Are you a troll?

I think we are disagreeing on the concept of the state and perhaps I explained that poorly. I believe that the happiness and well being of the citizen lies primarily with the citizen him/herself. They must make a series of life choices and live by the consequences, positive or negative. There will be people in any society that will struggle to obtain what they need/want and my belief system (and almost everyone's) demands that I help those people.

However, I don't think that the state should be imposing or defining said belief system on any individual. I think each individual must make that choice and live with the outcome (unjust society, moral judgement, social stigma, etc.). I think the state is responsible for a limited spectrum of rights, in the vein of Locke, Franklin, Lessing, etc. Again, I think we have a similar goal for Argentine society but differences on how to achieve that. I wasn't trying to troll, just thought the post was interesting and since this is a public forum and all, I commented. Sorry if it made you uncomfortable.

 

[steveinbsas]

Why is food almost always equally or more expensive here than in the US?

Economies of scale is the obvious answer.

Throw in tariffs (import and or export taxes) and it should all be clear.

 

[steveinbsas]

I think the primary function of a government should be to take care of its citizens.

Where's Papa Joe (Stalin) when we need him?

 

[JoeBlow]

Economies of scale is the obvious answer.

Throw in tariffs (import and or export taxes) and it should all be clear.

Tarriffs I'll buy. Economy of scale, I won't. As Argentines like to say, they produce enough food to feed 200 million people a year. It may not be true, but food produced locally should not be as outrageously expensive as it is.

 

[BSS]

Economies of scale is the obvious answer.

Throw in tariffs (import and or export taxes) and it should all be clear.

If we are looking just for just the economic explanation, it is pretty cut and dry. Argentina has had spectacular growth, leading to higher purchasing power, increasing demand, and therefore increasing inflation. In a bid to curb inflation, the federal government has put price controls and export limitations on most commodities (remember the half year ban on beef exports?), except soy.

So, producers stop raising beef, growing wheat and making dairy products to produce soy because the market is almost entirely external, a large contributer to government income, and therefore doesn't have price controls, just retenciones. Obviously, businesses are going to invest in the market that offers the most attractive returns. Also, most food stuffs are globally traded commodities, so the local price is not soley dependent on local dynamics. High prices have much more to do with China, India, etc. than they do with Argentina.

Therefore, the government's bid to control inflation led to a drastic drop in production as capital seeks more attractive returns. But demand continues to increase, negating any downward affect on price, and perhaps making food more expensive.

 

[PabloAriel]

When the goverment tried to set a "retención" to soy exportations it was denied by the opossition supported by the Sociedad Rural Argentina. They even paralized the whole country.

 

[JoeBlow]

I think we are disagreeing on the concept of the state and perhaps I explained that poorly. I believe that the happiness and well being of the citizen lies primarily with the citizen him/herself. They must make a series of life choices and live by the consequences, positive or negative. There will be people in any society that will struggle to obtain what they need/want and my belief system (and almost everyone's) demands that I help those people.

However, I don't think that the state should be imposing or defining said belief system on any individual. I think each individual must make that choice and live with the outcome (unjust society, moral judgement, social stigma, etc.). I think the state is responsible for a limited spectrum of rights, in the vein of Locke, Franklin, Lessing, etc. Again, I think we have a similar goal for Argentine society but differences on how to achieve that. I wasn't trying to troll, just thought the post was interesting and since this is a public forum and all, I commented. Sorry if it made you uncomfortable.

No worries. And, thank you for for your answer.

I would go along with the "series of life choices" "ones own hapiness depends on oneself" arguements when applied to people like myself who never made a priority of making money and now regret it

However, there are people in the US (from the US and immigrants), and in most countries around the world, who need to be protected from...well, their governments and employers and pharmaceutical companies etc.

Extolling the virtues of free will and self determination is fine and dandy when the playing field is level, but for the time being, for the vast majority of people on Earth, it is anything but.

 

[sergio]

Actually the food export is HIGHLY protected, see "retenciones a la exportación". Somethig like 30% for wheat, 35% for soya, etc. The meat export is also HIGHLY restricted, otherwise prices would increase considerably. Meat, I think, is still very cheap in Argentina compared to other countries (1 kg of churrascos something like EUR 30,- in Germany). The drawback is that Argentina has been losing huge shares in the World market, mainly to Brazil (by the way, I have just been to Brazil again, meat still sucks there).

I had beef in switzerland a couple of years ago. It was excellent. I asked the waiter where it was from: Brazil. Better than a lot I have eaten in Argentina.

 

[Amargo]

I had beef in switzerland a couple of years ago. It was excellent. I asked the waiter where it was from: Brazil. Better than a lot I have eaten in Argentina.

It is your opinion. I consider brazilian beef to be slightly better than most beef you find in Europe, but it cannot be compared to Argentinian beef in terms of taste and tenderness. If you know something about cattle you know why: Brazil has a hotter climate, which is unsuitable for the better breeds like Aberdeen Angus, Shorton, etc.
You don't need any yucky sauce if the meat is good.
But I guess you start appreciate it once you have eaten tons of good beef. It is like wine, at the beginning all taste the same.
The regular Argentine has surely eaten many times the amount of beef you've eaten in your life.

 

[John.St]

Comparing beef to beef to beef to beef doesn't make much sense unless you include race etc. (meat- or diary-) and price per unit weight.