Personally I favour the nation of small businesses.

I decided to ask this question because of something I was thinking about today while walking through town today.
About a year or two a series of large stores opened up in the area, and I remember at the time opposing them, though not actively I'll admit.
Now I walked down main street and local shops are closing down, or closed down already. And I remeber the arguements that had been used to support the stores been given planning permission being that they'd bring in employeement to the area, lower prices etc. Plus they threw alot of money behind there arguement, far more than local residents could.
Now while the town is growing somewhat all these local businesses are been driven out of business. Local suppliers are also unable then to compete as the new businesses are foriegn in nature and tend not to use Irish suppliers.
And I find dreadful to see all the things that gives a community strenght, and grows democracy is been undermined.

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"Better to die on you feet than live on your knees" - Emilio Zapata