THE GREAT TRADE ROBBERY

[hiphop]

Read the article on www.u2.com and post your comments here.

[80sU2isBest]

I wish I knew more about this subject. But I do know that one of the two reasons I oppose China being treated with "favord trade status" is because of the way the workers are treated. Is that what the "Big Noise" organization is kinda about?

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by whenhiphopdrovethebigcars:
post your comments here.

hmm. i agree with what they are doing. the wto has been structured in such a way that a very select group of companies benefit(and even their benefits are debatable as the wto is increasing it's own governance powers, especially on mexico, canada and the united states).

originally stated by Bono
Oxfam has got it right. It wouldn't cost much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty.

well it might not cost the developed world much, as bono says. but in the end it will still prove to be too much. it always has been too much in the past for them to do anything.

the only way the abuses of globalization will be iced is if consumer boycotts and bad PR amount to greater costs than would be experienced if they were to simply treat their employees fairly and equitably.

imo


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one half of the worlds population has never used a telephone

[sulawesigirl4]

I have to write a 40 page senior Finance project paper to finish my degree, and I'm asking my prof if I can write about 3rd world debt relief (gee, wonder how I got interested in THAT topic ) In any case, I think a lot of my research is going to revolve around organizations like the WTO and the trade regulations that make up global economics. So, can I save my comments till I've done the math and have hard facts to back up my gut feelings?

[hiphop]

Hey Sula, if you want, write about the MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investments) - this is going to be a tuff one if it´s pushed through.
Hmmm, Mexico is a good example. Maquiladoras. And in China there are about 7 mil of workers (mostly female) doing their job in miserable conditions/ surroundings. Does anyone know more about the clothes´ companies´ names involved? Everyone? Benetton? Nike?

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by whenhiphopdrovethebigcars:
Does anyone know more about the clothes´ companies´ names involved? Everyone? Benetton? Nike?

virtually everything that is sold through a public retail environment. one of the few places to find non-sweatshop wear is in the campus stores of universities and that is because students have applied pressure on their administration to get out of the blood money business.

it is not just clothes either. electronics and even significant portions of cars come from maquiladoras or Export Processing Zones.

though it's publication is now a few years old, and most of it's research was done over the previous couple of years, naomi klein's 'no logo' is a good synopsis of modern corporate mannerisms whether it be in the west where they focus intently on branding or in the southern and eastern nations where everything is manufactured for dirt cheap.

the website, no logo is also quite good.