Reply #2: I'll entertain your request for feedback, TiB! [View All]

[IrateCitizen]

I just finished reading the entire package this morning on the train. My impressions may surprise you.

First off, the Pascal Lamy (EU Trade Minister) piece is pure rubbish, completely devoid of any content. It is little more than a mindless repetition of the same tired cliches about trade, and does nothing to address the real problems and inequities with the system as it is. I found it interesting that one of the articles mentioned his complete absence from some of the lead-up talks, despite his grand rhetoric on the need to address the problems of the world's poor.

Now, some of my impressions may surprise you. My favorite (or is it favourite ;-)) articles were the one about cotton farmers in West Texas and West Africa, along with the commentary by Herman Daly (Logic that Leads to a Plundered World). The one about cotton farmers highlighted the drain that farm subsidies are on the economy of host countries, along with keeping farmers in developing nations down. The latter commentary did the best job of all of the articles (including Monbiot's) of pointing out many of the gross inequities that are currently taking place, while still emphasizing the need to maintain the framework.

Perhaps the best thing I took away from these articles was a better understanding of some of the details of the global trade system, and specific areas that are leveraged for advantage by rich nations. One of the things Daly talks about is the need for "regulated trade", because what business and the EU and US and Canadian trade ministers are pushing for is "unregulated trade", and it is a system designed only to reinforce inequities rather than address them.

Of course, I'm just touching the tip of the iceberg here. But I think you and I may end up agreeing on more than we used to, even if we still do maintain different perspectives on the issue. :evilgrin:

Thanks for posting the articles, they are a dearth of knowledge, and I hope more people on these boards read them.

Peace,
IC