"Indian zippies are one reason why outsourcing is becoming the hot issue in this year’s US presidential campaign," writes the right-winger who is bullish on free markets and global capitalism. But Friedman is optimistic about its long-term benefits. "As zippies soak up certain US or European jobs, they will become consumers, the global pie will grow and ultimately we will all be better off," writes Friedman. Such views have made him the pet hate of WSF proponents.
Friedman, who supports outsourcing "basic jobs" to India and China as long as the US is able to maintain its edge in high-end technological innovation, cautions there’s a need to "get real" on policy. The zippies, after all, can’t be allowed to zip too far ahead.
By Anupreeta Das
