Rain Forest Report Follow-UP

Me

[AVNevis]

We need to protect the tropical rain forests. They are an integral part of the ecosystem of the tropical region and the world.

However, this is not a problem for government to solve, at least not the Government of the United States. The United States has not created the problem and therefore should not be obligated to solve it.

The root of this problem stems from the fact that many of the countries that contain rain forests are very poor. Therefore the natives are mostly farmers. They need land on which to farm. Therefore they cut down rain forest to get farmland.

But without the nutrients from the forest, these lands quickly become less fertile. The farmers then abandon their farms and head out in search of more land to use for farming. So once again they cut down a portion of the forest. It will take many years for the old portion of the forest to grow back.

Another reason the forest is declining is extensive logging. The reason for this is again the economic health of these countries. They need an export, so they see the forest as one huge resource.

So the real long term solution to the problem of the rain forest is to have a better economy in these countries. If the economy is better, so many people will not have to make a living farming. And that translates into saved forests. This can be achieved if we get some real capitalism and democracy in these countries.

History shows that Capitalistic and democratic countries have much better economies than those that are not. One must only look Post World War 2 Germany. The country was divided into two parts, East and West Germany. West Germany was capitalist and democratic. East Germany was communist and not democratic.

West Germany had a much better economy and country than East Germany. It recovered from the World War much faster than East Germany. Living conditions were much better in the West. Wages were much better in the West. So life was much better in the Democracy over the adjacent communist state.

So the long term solution to this problem is to install real capitalism and democracy in these countries. Many claim to have both, but it is usually heavily fraudulent. Some person gets in power and then refuses to leave. It is not a democracy.

When democracy is achieved in the tropical region, it will be a great step towards the protection of the rain forests. Most people will not have to do farming for a living. The government and farmers will have enough money to pay for products that could help keep the small area of the forest that does have to be cut down for farming fertile.

The United States and other free nations need to support efforts for democracy in the tropical region. They should pressure the governments of the tropical nations to have legitimate elections. They should also promise more foreign aid for these countries should they choose to join the community of truly free nations.

However, the above is the long term solution. You are not going to achieve democracy in a very short time. So there needs to be some temporary solution to the rain forest depletion.

One way is through ‘Debt for nature’ swaps. The debt of a country would be forgiven so long as some of the money is used to preserve nature. Not only would this save parts of the forest, it would also help the economy. And as I have shown, the Economy is the root of the problems surrounding the rain forest.

Another way is to have citizens of the world purchase parts of the rain forest and protect them against farming and logging. You can do this through various programs such as the Rainforest Action Network and many other groups.

However, these short-tem solutions are just that; short term. The real solution is to improve the economies of the rain forest countries. And the only way to do that is to install democracy and rid these countries of communism, socialism, dictatorships, and fraudulent democracies that keep the people poor and needing to cut down forest to survive.

To answer the question posed in the assignment, who should pay for preserving the rain forests, the answer is no one. Everyone involved would see gain. Money that free countries spend preserving the forest and promoting democracy will eventually be returned in the form of things that do not have to be paid for. The only people that would suffer or pay a price would be the corrupted leaders who are presently leading the tropical nations. However, there will be a price to pay should we misdiagnose the root of the problem. Many people blame the problem on corporations. They are not the problem. If we start blaming them and expect the problem to go away; it will not.

So we must encourage capitalism and democracy in the capital region if we want to see the rainforests protected without having to cause millions to go hungry without farms.

[AVNevis]

This is the end product of an assignment I complained about being biased a few weeks ago here. I will link that thread momentarily. I also apoligise for the lack of indentations. I don't know HTML.

I'm sure this isn't what my teacher is expecting!

[AVNevis]

Here is the first thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1303258/posts

[RWR8189]

Put a < br > or two (without the spaces) at the end of your paragraphs, and it would make it a heck of a lot easier to read.

[AVNevis]

Thanks for telling me how to do it. I'll repost the article.

[AVNevis]

Hope the above is a little better

[timpad]

And here's a link to FR's HTML bootcamp. It may help as well.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/719530/posts

[AVNevis]

Follow up to rain forest project. See #5. Repost of report, much easier to read.

BTW, School Bias PING list still hasn't gone away, I just haven't been here as much over the holidays as I usually am. But now I'm back so you can expect some pings.

[AVNevis]

I have a special request for the moderator.

Can you just delete the whole first posting of the article? I have a feeling it may deter people.

[Lurker]

"So we must encourage capitalism and democracy in the capital region if we want to see the rainforests protected without having to cause millions to go hungry without farms/"

Strike 'democracy' and insert 'republican form of government' and you'll have an excellent end to your treatise.

The US was never designed as a 'democracy', in fact our Founding Fathers feared that as much as a monarchy or outright dictatorship.

When Ben Franklin was asked what kind of government came from the first Constitutional Convention, he replied: "A Republic, if you can keep it."

Sadly, it seems we are careening madly towards a democracy which is nothing more than 3 wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

Regards, and good luck.

L

[timpad]

Thoughtful, market-based analysis. Looks like you are well on the way to educating yourself. Congratulations.

I agree that you will likely surprise your teacher. If the "Debt for Nature" thing comes up, you would be well armed to point out that there is a cost in that process. The holders of that debt, be they public or private, will lose their investment income from their "ownership" of that debt when it is forgiven. That income will simply disappear from the economy and the debt rating of the recipient country will fall dramatically. This will hinder the country's efforts to raise money for infrastructure. That usually fails to help situations like the deforestation.

There are always costs to every alternative, but they are often hidden, and sometimes hidden on purpose. Economic choices don't exist without costs. Sharpen your eye for those costs, and you will be able to detect many a scam.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[AVNevis]

Thanks for fixing my report.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[dr_pat]

Thanks for the ping! Please let us all know how your teacher reacts, too.

[datura]

"History shows that Capitalistic and democratic countries have much better economies than those that are not. One must only look Post World War 2 Germany. The country was divided into two parts, East and West Germany. West Germany was capitalist and democratic. East Germany was communist and not democratic.

West Germany had a much better economy and country than East Germany. It recovered from the World War much faster than East Germany. Living conditions were much better in the West. Wages were much better in the West. So life was much better in the Democracy over the adjacent communist state."

You're forgetting one huge factor: The Marshall Plan. Without the massive influx of US money and assistance in rebuilding the economies of western Europe after WWII, those newly freed nations would have slipped back into fascism almost overnight.

I used to live in Berlin - 110 miles inside East Germany. The contrast between the two nations went much further than mere economics. Stepping through Checkpoint Charlie was like a time machine - but not a good one. Try to imagine living in a world where the military was everywhere - and still wore WWII Nazi uniforms without the arm bands - and the secret police controlled every aspect of life. Cameras everywhere. No one smiled, or looked you in the eye.

One evening, we took a 19 pax bus over to the East - and found a small neighborhood tavern on the far side of East Berlin. When the last of us entered the place, he locked the door. At this point, we told the folks inside that we were buying all of their drinks for the night. (At that time, one dollar bought ~80 East Marks. Average monthly salary was around 200 East Marks for them.)

Several hours and many beers later, we left. The entire tavern was singing "God Bless America" when we left.

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!!

[sergeantdave]

The key is private property.

When public nature preserves are created they become known as "the commons." They are owned by no one and everyone. Consequently, these commons get mis-used, abused and used up.

Look at our own federal forests. These are the United States "commons." 20 million acres have burned since 1999, they are infested with disease and pests and the trees overcrowding the federal acreage make them ideal as imminent disaster areas.

People take better care of property they own.