Wow, this thread has gotten a lot longer since the last time I checked in. Apologies because I'm going to post a couple of times here and they will probably be long and a little bit boring, but there are a few points I want to clarify.
On the fair trade issue...I think there are actually three different things being referred to as 'fair trade' here, and they are actually three very different things (this is probably my fault, since I jumbled the three up when referring to them) We have:
#1 - 'Fair trade' in the most traditional sense, which is not 100% defined but in general refers to companies that are fair trade certified by an institution such as FLO-International. I will admit this type of fair trade is not without its potential pros and cons. The pros - workers are able to sell their goods at a reasonable wage, and have some protection in case of price fluctuations in the market. There is also an emphasis on spending money on education and community development, and in helping farmers to become more independent and successful overall, i.e., by having them diversify the kinds of crops they sell. The cons - some say fair trade has the potential to hurt farmers who are not working with a fair trade organization. Essentially because it may create more competition for them, because some farmers may see fair trade as a great opportunity for themselves and enter the market when they wouldn't have otherwise - then the 'fair trade' farmers have some price protection, while the other farmers have to compete for a smaller portion of the market and have no protection to keep their prices from dropping as a result. I have to say that I have mixed feelings about this type of fair trade and I want to find out more about it to see how this problem is being addressed.
#2 - "Ethical businesses" that are set up in Africa, such as Edun and Global Mamas. I may be wrong here, but my understanding is that this would differ somewhat in that these businesses have to follow a more traditional supply and demand business model. While they make an effort to treat their workers well, there is no global set price for a tee shirt or jeans. It also seems less likely that people are going to rush into say, the dress-making market the way they might rush into coffee growing. So overall I am most comfortable buying these types of goods to support trade.
#3 - Law involving trade reform that would allow African countries to trade their goods more easily. I am fairly new to all of this so I don't profess to know exactly which laws specifically are in play here, however, the general idea is that there are tariffs and duties place on goods from Africa meaning it would actually be rather expensive for them to even attempt to sell these goods to other countries. At the same time, farmers in wealthier countries are getting subsidies to overproduce despite lack of market demand, thus flooding the market with ultra-cheap products. Africa can't compete in this situation, and in this particular case, really through no fault of their own. This deck has really been stacked against them, yet another reason why I don't think the 'pick yourself up by your bootstraps!' argument for reform is completely fair, in light of the hurdles we're throwing in their way.
you are not the only one who gets warned around here. News flash... everyone is not out to get you. I am sorry but you DO bring in the drama just about everytime you post in threads of this nature. We would all feel and react the same way whether it was you or anyone else who came in here posted such ridiculous things. The same goes for Bonochick if it was another person posting what you have she would of said basically the same thing and warned that particular person.
