Legos

Here's the NYT on Lego's rebirth:

But the story of Lego’s renaissance — and its current expansion into new segments like virtual reality and video games — isn’t just a toy story. It’s also a reminder of how even the best brands can lose their luster but bounce back with a change in strategy and occasionally painful adaptation.

Nevertheless, Lego hasn’t entirely shed its Scandinavian sense of social mission when it comes to making toys. It kept quality high and never moved any manufacturing to China, avoiding the lead paint scare and grabbing market share when rivals stumbled amid multiple recalls.

Maybe it was a great strategy for Lego not to outsource manufacturing. Maybe it would even have been a good idea for Denmark to prevent Lego from doing so. But protectionism isn't moral. What's moral, and in line with a social mission, is helping millions of people rise out of absolute deprivation.

At least we're consistent in lauding aid agencies and local manufacturing--both fail to help poor people, and both are socially conscious.