Powerful Peace Weapon: Free-Market Prosperity

This headline is the title of a new article by Steve Forbes that is available in his online newsletter. He uses the example of Northern Ireland and how three centuries of violence have given way to peace and prosperity after about three decades of economic reform. As Mr. Forbes points out: "Things started to change dramatically in the 1970s. Dublin aggressively courted foreign investment, using tax cuts and tax holidays as bait. Other tax and regulatory changes were made. Result: Ireland today is the most vigorous economy in western Europe. Its per capita income is now larger than that of Britain, France or Germany. The great boom in Ireland did not go unnoticed in the North, and in fact that region has benefited greatly from the Republic's prosperity. A vigorous, new middle class is rising in all of Ireland. As people become more prosperous they tend to focus on bettering their lives more than on blowing up their neighbors." (Emphasis added.)

At Economic Development Imports and at our partner company One World Projects, we've made a point of sourcing products from conflict and post conflict countries as a way of building peace. Our baskets from Rwanda, made by genocide survivors, and Phil's current trip to Afghanistan where he is sourcing jewelry and textiles are two examples of our peace through business approach.