In preparation for a Brexit disaster, should Brits go down to Venezuela?

Sir, Tim Harford nervously, anxiously, writes, “Most likely, Britain will emerge from Brexit negotiations scratched and bruised but largely intact, proudly declaring that the ordeal was a brilliant shortcut, then fumbling for a map and compass. But, while that is the most plausible result, the risk of a total train wreck remains”, “Deal or no deal, the costs are clear and present” September 8.

“Imagine you are organising a wedding for — say — March 29 2019…[and] your chosen caterer, you love this caterer’s food, prices, and service, boldly declares that it may be unable to supply the food” 

Oh what a horror! Perhaps in preparation for such travails Harford and other Brits should take a trip down to Venezuela to learn how to do without food or medicines.

Or, does not a real Brexit disaster contain the potential of constituting a tremendous opportunity to nurture a national sense of solidarity and purpose… like the Blitz during World War II did?

Like if post-Brexit customs process take much longer, could that not create more jobs for humans or sparkle automation initiatives a la Amazon that could bring much higher productivity down the line.

Of course a hard landing Brexit could create many problems, but I am quite confident that the Britain I know, or at least the one I knew, would be perfectly capable to handle the challenges. And, if not, then sincerely Brexit is, by far, not Britain’s biggest problem.

Sir, and looking cross the channel, I would much prefer having to confront a bundle of Brexit problems, than having to create the too much delayed responses to the challenges posed by the euro so as to stop it from breaking up the European Union.

@PerKurowski

If a manufacturing trade deficit leads to deficits of skills, then that can be something truly serious.

Sir, Professor Robert H Wade when commenting on Martin Sandbu’s “Trump’s love of manufacturing is misguided” of February 15 writes: “manufacturing typically has strongly positive “externalities”, especially in innovation, and that the innovation intensity of manufacturing depends on close, physical links between production and innovation (“learning while doing”).” “Manufacturing has positive externalities” February 17.

Indeed, just think of where you, I and we all would have been, if America had not had that manufacturing capabilities and those skills that allowed it to build up what Franklin Roosevelt called “The Arsenal of Democracy”, and which allowed for the defeat of Germany’s impressive war machinery during World-War-II.

And currently, the possibility of some other nation ending up with 1st class robots, and your own with 2nd or even the 3rd class robots should clearly be a source of much concern to everyone.

My current pray is “God save my grandchildren from being surrounded by dumb artificial intelligence and 2nd class robots”. But that said perhaps intelligent artificial intelligence could be worse, since then we humans might turn into having to be its obedient servers. Who really knows?

​PS. Here is what I commented previously​ on Sandbu's article

PS. This is personal. Without “The Arsenal of Democracy” I would not be.

@PerKurowski