• downpunxx@fedia.io
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    8 months ago

    American Automobile industry decided back in the 1970’s they were going to pull as much value out of the consumer as they possibly could, which destroyed the reputation of American cars being the best made vehicles in the world.

    Americans want value, and to stop being screwed by more and more expensive cars which suck and break down, so are open to alternatives which is why the Japanese car imports exploded in popularity.

    China is looking for influence, and so the “value” the CCP wants, is other than monetary to exploit the American populace, and this is one way they’re looking to achieve that.

    • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      So instead of expensive cars that suck and break down, we’d have cheap cars that suck and break down. Which is technically better, I guess.

    • mommykink@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      destroyed the reputation of American cars being the best made vehicles in the world.

      This was always pure propaganda and if that argument were being made, that downfall would’ve happened way before the '70s. Like, beginning of the 20th century, at latest.

        • mommykink@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          We never were. Europe was making production, ICE cars decades before Henry Ford told the world that he invented the process

            • icydefiance@lemm.ee
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              8 months ago

              Ford didn’t even claim that he invented the automobile. However, he did make the manufacturing process a lot faster, and therefore cheaper, so he was the first to sell them at a price that most people could afford.

              He was also a turbo-racist who Hitler saw as an inspiration, but that’s a different subject.

    • SeattleRain@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      This! This! This! Goliaths like GM could make competitive affordable cars tomorrow if they decided they’re were going to make money off building good cars instead of ripping off consumers, financialization and oligopolistic tactics.