Zakaria and FAIR
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3593
"Fairness and Accuracy in the Media" takes on the commentator Fareed Zakaria on one issue that confuses the the whole 'fair trade' perspective- the seeingly simplistic notion that all trade is good. If all trade is good and benefits the poor then it stands to reason that slavery if it benefits the poor is also acceptable. Who defines the floor? In fact, anyone can have standards that influence trade and should. That can and should be part of any trade equation. At the same time, his characterization of rich, priveleged brats protesting world trade has at least a grain of truth to it. Getting my coffee this morning. I thought it ironic that the local coffee store barista probably makes more on just tips in one hour than the people harvesting 'fair trade' coffee earn in a day.
It's too late now, but imagine if we had insisted on stringent trade and environmental standards at the start of China's resurgence? If done properly, we would have been seen as a positive force both for workers and the environment- a true friend, not just as American imperialists, opportunists. As it is, China assumes they have done all this on their own and forgets that we provided the market for which now we receive little respect. Without the western market to sell their products, they would be nowhere. Yet now it is too late to have real influence. We are now the weak ones for not standing up to our ideals, and the corrupt, ex-communists are the ones taking the credit.
TY
"Fairness and Accuracy in the Media" takes on the commentator Fareed Zakaria on one issue that confuses the the whole 'fair trade' perspective- the seeingly simplistic notion that all trade is good. If all trade is good and benefits the poor then it stands to reason that slavery if it benefits the poor is also acceptable. Who defines the floor? In fact, anyone can have standards that influence trade and should. That can and should be part of any trade equation. At the same time, his characterization of rich, priveleged brats protesting world trade has at least a grain of truth to it. Getting my coffee this morning. I thought it ironic that the local coffee store barista probably makes more on just tips in one hour than the people harvesting 'fair trade' coffee earn in a day.
It's too late now, but imagine if we had insisted on stringent trade and environmental standards at the start of China's resurgence? If done properly, we would have been seen as a positive force both for workers and the environment- a true friend, not just as American imperialists, opportunists. As it is, China assumes they have done all this on their own and forgets that we provided the market for which now we receive little respect. Without the western market to sell their products, they would be nowhere. Yet now it is too late to have real influence. We are now the weak ones for not standing up to our ideals, and the corrupt, ex-communists are the ones taking the credit.
TY
Comments