Larry, I don't know the specifics of the Triumph/Thailand thing either.
If it does indeed raise the standard of living, then yes, it's a good thing.
Oldroadie suppled the history lesson, so I don't need to reiterate what he said regarding the industrial revolution.
Indeed there are true cases of classic slavery in Communist China and a few other places, but my point was that when people are trapped by a system that keeps them indentured to a company, such as the maquiladoras in Mexico, it's also a form of slavery. Again, I don't know if this is the case in Thailand.
Of course profit is good. And capitalism works, to a point. It was radical capitalism that enslaved many people in this country, and led, albeit indirectly, to one of the most horrible wars ever. Certainly for our country.
Just as many people thought that Messrs Marx and Engels were on to something (especially compared to what their lives were like), they left out the human factor of corruption.
Capitalism has similar pitfalls (history lesson referenced above) that must also be guarded against.
