Jedimaster
I am not sure we are good at mining. We are lucky to have mineral resources that are exploited by private enterprise. We are not good at ensuring the owners of the resources benefit from the increase in profits arising from growth/market fluctuations along with investors.

To some extent economic theory is only as good as the last trend and largely depends whether you take the Keynsian or Monetarist view which pigeon holes sometimes to the detriment of improving people's lives - which even Keynes espoused having likened an economist's role to that of a dentist - although said in humour.

Some elements of economic theory are not always based on reality or on morality (however it might be defined). Labour economics is a prime example.

Who decides what we are good at? Why are we not as good in agriculture for example than China or other nations if you take out the labour costs and look at issues of governance (thinking particularly of the milk debacle recently and the use of shadow factories).

I agree there are very few issues that are one dimensional - I have faith most people are aware. Once you ferret through the quagmire of influencing factors coming to a decision to buy local not only in regard to food miles perse, is not a narrow minded view taking into account all those other issues discussed earlier.