"American Factory", maybe it's a political card

Clarissa 2022-01-18 08:01:11

"American Factory" is undoubtedly the most popular documentary recently. Whether it is a gimmick " produced by former US President Obama " or its own sensitive subject matter focusing on " factories invested by Chinese in the United States ", it has attracted both China and the United States. The attention of a large number of audiences in China has also led to intense discussions between audiences in the two countries.

"American Factory" poster

It is rare to see a movie, not only from the media for film and television, but also from the economic, commercial, and current affairs. However, to put it in terms of facts, "American Factory" is purely from the perspective of a documentary, especially from the perspective of film techniques, in fact, there is no outstanding point , even if the two directors of the film were once Oscar players.

But the greatest value of a documentary is in the subject matter itself . If you shoot a vegetable market aunt selling vegetables, no one will be interested even if you are skilled, but if it is a war reporter who risked his life to record the tragic scene on the battlefield, Even if the camera shakes, even if the screen is full of gunpowder, it is enough to shock people.

"American Factory" tells the story of China's "Glass King" Cao Dewang investing in a factory in the United States.

Cao Dewang

In the film, we saw the "honeymoon period" of Chinese investment in saving local employment in the United States, and the friction between American workers and Chinese managers that followed. We saw the completely different attitudes of Chinese and American workers to work. , I also saw a huge resistance to a Chinese-style company wanting to achieve profitability in the United States.

What's more interesting is that for such a real story with a little magic color, we can see different interpretations at different levels in many interpretation articles.

Some people see the laziness and hypocrisy of American workers. Not only are they extremely picky about the work environment, they are also careless at work, and they even plug in headphones to listen to music. Others see that the Chinese are now rich and able to leapfrog. Chong Yang has gone to be the boss of the Americans, and watching a group of Yankees vouch for the Chinese boss. It's so awesome and cool-what these people see is the most superficial and boring aspect .

"American Factory" stills

Audiences at a deeper level, especially those in the manufacturing industry, will be able to appreciate the huge differences in the living conditions and business models of the workers in the two countries .

Chinese workers are willing to sacrifice, dedicate, accept frequent overtime work, and are willing to temporarily separate from their families in order to support their families and for a better life. Although American workers also need to support their families, many people pay more attention to their rights. , Resist the risky work environment and reject high-load work.

China’s manufacturing industry, with its huge advantages in more and more global markets, is cheap and efficient labor. What they pursue is absolute obedience and banned militarized management; while the US manufacturing industry has been In the labor movement, a highly mature trade union system has been formed. Workers have a strong sense of rights, and trade unions will also hinder the profit-seeking behavior of enterprises.

"American Factory" stills

Of course, viewers who are more willing to think will broaden their horizons, and they will see the contradictions between countries with different systems and different levels of development under the background of economic globalization .

In the process of catching up with developed countries, socialist China is not only good at "concentrating power to do big things," it also creates huge value with cheap and efficient labor. This development model can create a miracle of economic take-off, but there is no doubt that capitalist-style exploitation and disregard for human rights are suspected. I think this is one of the reasons why our country is continuing to deepen reforms.

As a capitalist country, the United States, due to the sensitivity of human rights awareness and the development of trade unions over the years, has finally made human costs under the control of institutional costs, which have become unacceptable to entrepreneurs, and capitalists have nowhere to exploit. In the end, a “lose-lose” situation in which factories closed and workers were unemployed. It's no wonder that after reading "American Factory", Americans lamented that "this is what the Chinese are teaching us about capitalism."

"American Factory" stills

However, whether you see the differences in the behavior of workers, the differences in the operation of enterprises, whether you see the cultural differences or institutional differences between the two countries, in fact, you cannot say that you have fully understood the documentary "American Factory". "American Factory" requires us to look beyond the movie itself.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama

"Obama Investment Production" is not just a gimmick. Although the Obamas did not directly participate in the production of this film, there is no doubt that there are political considerations behind this work, and it will unite with the Democratic Party behind Obama and the world. The US President Trump and the Republican Party behind it, the political implication of "American Factory" is actually traceable.

Where is the "Fuyao" in "American Factory"? Dayton. Where is Dayton? The iconic " rust zone " of the United States .

Rust zone

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, a group of cities represented by Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Dayton became centers of heavy industry because of convenient water transportation and rich mineral resources. Called the "Rust Zone". These areas are deserted, unemployed, and lifeless. They are the areas in the United States that need to be "saved" most. They are also the political bargaining chips that the Democratic Party once held firmly in its hands.

In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Trump of the Republican camp destroyed the "blue wall" that the Democratic Party had been operating in the rust zone for many years and caught the Democratic Party by surprise. This eventually sent Trump into the White House.

"Blue Wall"

However, Trump’s leading percentage in these regions does not exceed 1%. This slight gap makes the Democrats firm in their determination to regain the “rust zone”. Therefore, for the 2020 US presidential election, can the Democrats continue When Trump pulls down Malaysia, the "rust zone" will be the key battlefield.

What is the biggest social contradiction in the "Rust Zone"? Of course, it is the employment issue . Since the collapse of giant companies such as General Motors, the traditional manufacturing industry in the United States has collapsed, and a large number of unemployed workers have also been produced. These voters are eager to change their situation.

U.S. President Trump

Trump, who won the presidency with the slogan " Bring work back to the United States " back then, did make many attempts after taking office, such as re-negotiation of free trade agreements , launching a trade war, etc., including passing through the history of the United States. The most important tax reform bill hopes to promote the return of manufacturing industries by optimizing the investment environment in the United States.

However, Trump's strategy does not seem to be effective. Some companies have chosen to open factories in the United States due to the president's momentum, but a large-scale job return has not occurred.

Nobel Prize economist Joseph Stiglitz once said that Trump’s idea of ​​bringing high-paying manufacturing jobs back to the United States is almost impossible to achieve, and the Trump administration’s coercive and lure to domestic companies is simply A kind of political blackmail.

Joseph Stiglitz

Against this background, voters in the "Rust Zone" naturally questioned the authority of Trump's trade policy. This is also a good time for the Democratic Party to "take advantage of the emptiness"- "American Factory" is like this A political card .

The message "American Factory" really wants to tell American citizens is: The traditional manufacturing industry in the United States is dead and out of help. Hidden system costs and labor costs make it impossible for domestic manufacturing companies in the United States to compete with developing countries. The Republican Trump camp tried to "Make America Great Again" by means of tax cut bills and other means. The bragging of trying to return jobs to the United States is actually a blank check that is difficult to cash in long-term. As a business tycoon, Trump may be himself. Understand this.

Perhaps the "China model" is a timely and good medicine, but the symptoms are still indicators. Whether it can take root in the United States, there is still a question mark. What's more, just like the ending film of "American Factory", even the hardworking Chinese workers can escape the fate of being replaced when faced with the never-tiring robotic arm and artificial intelligence?

"American Factory" stills

So, citizens of the United States, don't worry about manufacturing. If you have no future, look at our Democratic Party. We are engaged in infrastructure construction, education, high technology, and new energy. This is the road to prosperity!

Do you know who to vote for next year's presidential election?

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Extended Reading
  • Maia 2022-03-27 09:01:18

    The self-confidence output of Zhao Guowen's culture: Wake up, Yankee, don't stand to make money, and come to work overtime for me on Saturdays. If the so-called "free country" can cast 60% of the "no union" votes, the whole world cannot stop Zhao's pace, and global hegemony is just around the corner. PS The annual meeting performance is that it is not enough for you to sell out.

  • Thaddeus 2022-03-28 09:01:11

    In 100 minutes, I followed two Chinese people, Cao and Xiao Wang, and the Americans had an average of six or seven group portraits. It was mainly driven by two events - the visit of American workers in Fuqing, and the vote of the union. Basically, it adopts the method of showing differences in comparison, and the tail hints that under the trend of intelligent machines replacing people, workers in China and the United States will face a common enemy. The paragraph showing the chairman of the labor union and secretary of the party committee of the Fuqing General Factory is a bit dark. After listing a series of titles, the last one is "Cao's brother-in-law."

American Factory quotes

  • Himself - Fuyao Safety Director: Everybody at every level will say that we really, really want to be safe. But safety doesn't pay the bills.