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Counterfeit Goods as the Saviors of the National Economy
An Alternative Perspective Amid the Reciprocal Tariff Debate
This morning I came across an intriguing post on Instagram by Mr. Yuswohadi, a marketing expert and economic observer. In his post, he touched on the phenomenon of counterfeit goods — often viewed negatively due to intellectual property (IP) violations — and offered an alternative perspective: that counterfeit goods could actually play a positive role in the national economy. That post got me thinking. Could it be true that counterfeit goods, or “KW” products as we call them in Indonesia, could serve as “saviors” for the economy? After all, we’ve been taught to avoid counterfeit products in order to support innovation and creativity.
You can read the Indonesian version of this article for free here
Driven by curiosity, I began searching for answers. I tried to view this phenomenon from my own perspective, especially in the context of reciprocal tariffs like those imposed by Donald Trump during his presidency. What I discovered was surprising: counterfeit goods aren’t just knock-offs that harm the market; they can also be practical solutions to boost local economies, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia.
