State firm to control world's largest lithium reserves, Reuters reports. The announcement poses a fresh challenge to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers scrambling to secure battery materials.
Cheap labor is the cornerstone of imperialist extractive industry. If the local labor cannot be oppressed from shady deals with private "consultants" the whole price of doing business becomes less appealing. It's hard to maximize profits and build an industry on resources when there is a reasonable chance the miners might get payed enough to live a decent life. It's a tale as old as time, from the days of the British Empire to Blackrock and Vanguard.
Cheap labor is the cornerstone of imperialist extractive industry. If the local labor cannot be oppressed from shady deals with private "consultants" the whole price of doing business becomes less appealing. It's hard to maximize profits and build an industry on resources when there is a reasonable chance the miners might get payed enough to live a decent life. It's a tale as old as time, from the days of the British Empire to Blackrock and Vanguard.