People wish for an American economy that does not exist, where streets are filled with mom and pop shops, and milkshakes only costs 50 cents, but you can’t blame any corporation for low costs, low goods state the world is in right now. People generally remember a period shortly after World War II when America led the world to manufacturing, where some (most) American companies made their products right in the comfort of their hometown, and quality products had no rivals. This is definitely not what our world looks like today. Today there is global competition, cheap labor, manufacturing overseas, and consumer demand for cheaper goods being “cheap over anything else”. Walmart fills a lot of these demands for America, with an American company that provides jobs for over 2 million people a year. Employing so many workers helps keep down prices and inflation for over 300 million Americans. If Wal-Mart did not exist, its place in the economic world would be taken over by a different company, and that company may not be American so we should count ourselves lucky. So, you cannot hold this against Wal-Mart on the basis of a claim that says Wal-Mart destroys the old American economy that our parents and grandparents remember. That economy no longer exists and the new world is nowhere near as predictable. Sometimes it moves too quickly for some (me) to keep up. Workers have less job security, and Main street is no longer the center of America, but Walmart does it’s best to help us keep up. Walmart gives people somewhere to get good products for a cheap discount that they couldn’t otherwise afford. This is one of the most important things in my perspective, to give America the necessities of life.
Along with raising the standard of living, Walmart boosts the economy, reduces inflation, and makes our economy more efficient overall. According to the Los Angeles Times, "U.S. economists say its tightfistedness has not only boosted its own bottom line, but also helped hold down the inflation rate for the entire country. Consumers reap the benefits every time they push a cart through Wal-Mart's checkout lines," and "A cartful of groceries is 17% to 39% cheaper at a Wal-Mart Supercenter than at a unionized supermarket, according to a survey last year in Las Vegas, Dallas and Tampa, Florida, by investment bank UBS Warburg." A lot of people believe that Walmart does nothing good for America because it forces "mom and pop" shops out of business. In my opinion, if those companies are going to fail, it's not Walmart's fault, it's their own. People who cannot keep up with todays society are going to fail anyways. Wal-Mart created a huge market for U.S. manufacturers, and is responsible for their success economically. People in this world chose what stores they want to shop at, and if people believe lower prices are more important than a small little shop with more expensive prices, then so be it.
CEO Lee Scott said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. raises the standard of living for American families by about $1,250 per year. That amounts to about $100 billion a year that can be reinvested in the community, Scott said, citing research from a professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The fact is, more money saved the more people going to college, more necessities, and even more spending into the marketplace, boosting our economy. Michael J. Silverstein, a senior vice president at the Boston Consulting Group said, "Wal-Mart is tough, but totally honest and straightforward in its dealings with vendors," he said. "Wal-Mart has forced manufacturers to get their act together and forced them to compete internationally."
Walmart creates millions of jobs for Americans at a time when unemployment rates are incredibly low. Which helps Americans with consistent income and stability. In 2008, FORBES Magazine recognized Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as the “number one most generous company overall.” They gave away over $530 million in the year 2008, and while some people question these donations, the fact is that they still do good for the world. Walmart has proved that they use power for the good in the economy. They adopted a pro-environmental stand and has had great success, for example, the sale of energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs. “Beginning this month, Wal-Mart has launched a massive in-store campaign to educate customers about the benefits of energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs,” according to the Motley Fool, the same website also stated that, "If Wal-Mart achieves its 100-million-bulb goal, the electricity savings will equal the removal of 1.3 million automobiles from the road, or the closure of two-coal powered energy plants.”
Walmart provides stability at a time when nothing is guaranteed, and also provides jobs, and low cost costs for Americans. I believe we are lucky to have a company like Walmart, and that we get more benefits than any other country in the world. It’s easy to hate Wal-Mart when you listen to the horror stories, which are likely false, but I urge you to look on the logical side, and consider the facts.