Editorial on the news of the Day and Review of the Gridlock around the world.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Boris, Those Immigrants are coming here and taking all of our Jobs!

In a strange twisted parody of America's labor issues and its relations with its southern neighbor Mexico, Russia has emerged to suffer some similar but backwards problems with China.  China may have a very large and rapidly growing economy, but that economy pales in comparison to its readily available and cheap labor force.


Russia has been experiencing some growing pains as farmers import workers from China to work their farms for them.  Apparently Chinese workers according to the Wall Street Journal, are willing to do the jobs that many ordinary Russians don't want to do.  Not because Russians have better paying jobs and don't want to work the land. 


No according to the farm owners, the Russian work force is too busy getting drunk or just plain too old to work at all.  Now, they are importing Chinese workers and many Russians of a military mind see it as a beachhead in Asia that could bring on subsequent waves of Chinese invaders.


That may sound harsh, but it may not be too far off the mark.  Russian and Chinese relations were close during the days of communism, but Russia has something that China needs and will need even more in the years to come.


Russia has land, resources and most importantly, Russia has oil.  Russia may not be the most stable country in the world, but its a lot more stable than the middle east.


A deal might be brokered between these old allies despite their eminent distrust of each other.  If that fails China might be more prepared to leak people across the border and squatting the land initially.  It could be easier to mount this type of invasion on Russia than say a similar invasion in neighboring India where the population matches China and the need for resources is almost as great.


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