Unions played role in Argentina’s decline

THE article by Bruce Whitfield on the decline of Argentina as a regional powerhouse in South America, “When football and economics collide” (July 13), made a comparison with our poorly performing economy and our reduced status as the continent’s leading financial stronghold.

Although the historians attributed Argentina’s collapse to political instability in the late 1920s, exacerbated by the depression and a poorly educated society, the reason for its inability to recover points to trade union involvement, and that is where we can draw similarities between our two countries.

Our manufacturing arm is under threat, caused by unrealistic wage demands by the unions, measured against poor worker productivity, which could lead to the collapse of our industrial base.

There is also the threat to our well managed agricultural sector. If the government persists with its ill-conceived plan to reduce the white ownership of productive farms, expect dire consequences.

Like Argentina, we will drop further in our continental standing and suffer further downgrading by rating agencies.

Unfortunately, the ANC doesn’t seem to understand the concept of the high road, but continues on the narrow path to ruin.

— Ted O’Connor, Johannesburg