Hi Eugene,
For Dutch users: Imagine that all milk in your shops is imported from Romania, all beef from Argentina, all cheese from Switzerland. Tulips from Turkey, etc. As result, dutch people will spend more time watching TV because of unemployment.
The Dutch would then think of something they are good at and export that. This is part of what free trade is about, breaking down the barriers.
Australia has changed its primary and secondary industries a few times over the past 2 centuries, it's just a part of what life is all about, change, no use blaming someone else, you get on with the job of finding the next thing the world needs and providing it.
Is it joke? Look at Europe Union, one economical zone. Yes, Germany, Netherlands live in prosperity, but Eastern Europe, Greece, Spain automatically become poor. If introduce import taxes between EU member again, then South/East countries will restore their economical state.
It is not Germany or Netherlands fault that Greece and Spain are badly managed by there government's, and that's an internal matter for them to rectify, the longer they leave the mismanagement, the harder it is to fix the problem.
Greece especially knew that joining the EU would require a change within there form of socialism but decided that was someone else's problem.
This all a subject for a 'different' forum
