Sappho wrote on Apr 6^th, 2011 at 1:44pm:


Nothing. They've just found a place for themselves in the global marketplace. With the exception of Norway (an oil/gas supplier), they are all countries that provide financial services to others. In essence, they are middle-men.

Germany and China, on the other hand, are manufacturers. They actually make things. They also have a long history of making things, predating capitalism.

What makes a nation great? Trade. Trade brings education, capital, language, and dare I say it: multiculturalism. Trade provides an outward gaze and an openness to foreigners. Trade brings opportunities to citizens that they wouldn't otherwise have.

Australia is a trading nation, despite the intentions of its early colonial governors. NSW was set up to be an insular farming backwater - a pastoral utopia designed to make convicts work hard and keep them away from the rest of the world. Sydney was never a gaol. Australia's isolation left convicts with the relative freedom to live in their own houses and wear their own clothes.

But the convicts kept their eyes on the horizon, and successive gold rushes turned Australia into an immigrant trading nation. England also needed naval bases in the Asia Pacific region to counter the Dutch, French and Russians, so we looked towards the north and became increasingly vigilant/paranoid about invasion.

Australia is a curious mix of outward curiousity and insular provincialism. As people moved off the land and rural and regional towns died, Australia's insularity has been transferred to the suburbs. But we still keep our eyes on the horizon. Australia is an immigrant, trading nation, and this, along with the resources in the ground, is the reason for its success.

Karnal wrote on Apr 7^th, 2011 at 10:04am:



And the differance is??


Anyway, Korea and Finland are not middle-men. They make things the world wants.
Switzerland also makes lots of things the world wants. Sweden also.

Karnal wrote on Apr 14^th, 2011 at 11:03am:



So true....



Flat out catching trade winds, 24/7.

China had its cultural greatness a very long time ago, as did Asia. Its only reflecting the Age of Namerica (North America) like the Moon does sunlight, as does the Individualism of the African American 'Labourer'. If an African did serve Asia directly, then he would be something akin to a Academic.
Anyway, China is growing, but only as a SuperNova ...its running on fumes of a world that is quickly vanishing and changing with the times.
It suddenly has all this wealth, but (thanks to Zimbabwe ) the Global Economy, especially the USA, will "Shut up Shop" for renovations, stock take, etc and China will be left knocking on closed doors.
The result will be a complete collapse, especially under the demand of its immense population. It will be forced to attack into Siberia for more land, resources, etc ...and well, the rest is for another post.

So, what would make Australia Great?
Firstly, not Politics. Especially when the Federal Level rules the roost over the States, and Provinces (Independents) and Councils, etc. The Federal Level always serves the wellbeing of the International Community as the priority. Thats why so much money goes overseas and towards the United Nations. The Gov-General serves the UK and the Prime Minister serves the USA (Gillard and Howard are too recent good examples) - with the UK serving the USA anyway (rather than its fellow Europeans ...but thats another post )
This is why Politcs could never Empower this Country's needs directly unless it was via Volunteer. You could say "In America: Politics gets Powerful for Freedom" and "In Australia: Politics is Free from Power"

I think the Art Industry will become Australia's major Industry, followed by Religion. The Computer/Internet is making Australia wealthier compared to Television, which seems to be much like Federal Politics ...which explains why Celebrities/Actors/etc can only 'make it' if they go overseas (and then go on about how 'aussie' they really are ).
The Future of Australia will be Artistic and we will exist in our 'Age' like the ancient Minoans. Art is powerful, as Ramses 2 showed - he lost the battle against the Hittites via Military, but destroyed the Hittites via Art. I think Australia will also create more advances in Oceanography and all things Water (preservation, creation, irrigation, etc) like the USA has done with Aviation/Space Exploration. Our 'Computer Animation' Companies are already superior to anything North America pumps out and we have the top 3 Commercial Diving Academies in the World.

So when our time will come, it won't be Politics that runs this Nation's future (because it holds so tightly to the teet of the UK or the Past, so to speak) - it will be Art and I'm not talking that chardonney-sudsy Archibald-Televisual tribe of traditional and out-dated Art methods that just wanna paint Nudes.

Australia will be Great ...soon, when all else 'fails'.