Comment on Trump says he plans to put a 100% tariff on computer chips, likely pushing up cost of electronics
brucethemoose@lemmy.world 16 hours ago
A bit of chip history: Taiwan Semiconductor (the current pseudo-monoply in cutting edge processor making) rose as Taiwan transitioned from a dictatorship to democracy.
They got state funding, and support for thier business as trade opened up. To simplify, it was like a mix of hyper capitalism and technocratic command economy/socialism no one on either end of political spectrum would like. And it worked! It’s still working.
The CHIPS act in the US was a baby step in that direction, which (even with Intel’s incredible corporate dysfunction) got me excited.
…And that is basically the opposite of what Trump is proposing.
Basically, take away Intel/Micron/IBM subsidies and tax the shit out of their existing overseas business. And deregulate them instead of directing them.
In other words, drain their capital, and give them free reign to think short term as their manufacturing circles the drain.
Yes, we all know the most successful economic endeavors are funded by taxpayers.
Just look at how Iceland has the cheapest electricity on the planet; it’s because they built their infrastructure using public money without an incentive to maximize profit.
That’s not what I’m implying.
TSMC would not have thrived if it was purely nationalized, and could have easily collapsed into capitalist hell.
For the processor fab business, specifically, the ideal conditions seem to be some kind of basdardized hybrid. Samsung and China Semi are not far from this either, while the corpses of pure extremes (GloFo, Intel, the Soviet’s and modern Russia’s computing efforts, other pure government efforts and some RISC ones) are littered everywhere.
In which nation is energy generation not using vast natural resources at huge initial outlay where companies have a boner for monopolising or cartels and exploiting scarcity to drive up prices?
DarkFuture@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
CHIPS Act. Yet another major Biden win that gets overlooked in favor of shitting on him.
sturmblast@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Biden did a lot of great stuff but the USA would rather live in a reality TV show from hell while marching towards authoritarianism apparently. Oh wait, they don’t understand any of that shit because half of them can’t fucking read.