Comments on: Trade Justice and Slavery http://www.owen.org/blog/129 Thoughts from Owen in Africa Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:38:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: shameless http://www.owen.org/blog/129/comment-page-1#comment-942 shameless Sat, 05 Nov 2005 03:07:10 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/2005/04/12/trade-justice-and-slavery/#comment-942 Why does everyone want to open free markets so quickly? It would be better if we took the time to test our economic theories before implementing them. If, for example, corn is an commodity traded around almost like money in a third-world country for other resources such as clothes and food. If corn can be imported to said country more cheaply than the domestic farmer can grow it, that trading will put the domestic farmer out of business and force him to seek out work from an employing corporation in the area or even immigrate elsewhere looking for work. It steals the ability of every human to fend for themselves and makes them more depenedent on global organisations for funding. This is modern slavery. Why does everyone want to open free markets so quickly? It would be better if we took the time to test our economic theories before implementing them. If, for example, corn is an commodity traded around almost like money in a third-world country for other resources such as clothes and food. If corn can be imported to said country more cheaply than the domestic farmer can grow it, that trading will put the domestic farmer out of business and force him to seek out work from an employing corporation in the area or even immigrate elsewhere looking for work. It steals the ability of every human to fend for themselves and makes them more depenedent on global organisations for funding. This is modern slavery.

]]> By: owen http://www.owen.org/blog/129/comment-page-1#comment-941 owen Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:06:12 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/2005/04/12/trade-justice-and-slavery/#comment-941 You are absolutely right that free trade is not a panacea; but trade liberalisation would, on average, be a significant driver of economic growth. While I agree that, in theory, it is advantageous to manage the sequencing of liberalisation, and to take steps to manage the transition, my worry is that the best becomes the enemy of the good. The main priority should be to open markets as rapidly as possible. If this can be done with appropriate safety net measures, all well and good. But if not, it is better to get on with it than to wait until measures are possible. Sadly there are no panaceas in development. We need more trade, more and better aid, less corruption, better governance, a stronger voice for developing countries in international institutions, less support for conflict, more investment in global public goods, a reversal of global warming and desertification ... You are absolutely right that free trade is not a panacea; but trade liberalisation would, on average, be a significant driver of economic growth.

While I agree that, in theory, it is advantageous to manage the sequencing of liberalisation, and to take steps to manage the transition, my worry is that the best becomes the enemy of the good. The main priority should be to open markets as rapidly as possible. If this can be done with appropriate safety net measures, all well and good. But if not, it is better to get on with it than to wait until measures are possible.

Sadly there are no panaceas in development. We need more trade, more and better aid, less corruption, better governance, a stronger voice for developing countries in international institutions, less support for conflict, more investment in global public goods, a reversal of global warming and desertification …

]]> By: Jim http://www.owen.org/blog/129/comment-page-1#comment-940 Jim Wed, 13 Apr 2005 07:43:08 +0000 http://www.owen.org/blog/2005/04/12/trade-justice-and-slavery/#comment-940 I agree that it's wrong to equate free trade with slavery, but there doesn't seem to be enough evidence to support a blanket call for more trade liberalisation. While rich countries should definitely open their markets more, poor countries should only do so at their own pace, just as happened in every past example of succesful development except Hong Kong. If trade liberalisation was the panacea some (not you) say it is, Sub-Saharan Africa would surely be thriving given that its trade barriers are lower on average than every other developing region. I agree that it’s wrong to equate free trade with slavery, but there doesn’t seem to be enough evidence to support a blanket call for more trade liberalisation. While rich countries should definitely open their markets more, poor countries should only do so at their own pace, just as happened in every past example of succesful development except Hong Kong. If trade liberalisation was the panacea some (not you) say it is, Sub-Saharan Africa would surely be thriving given that its trade barriers are lower on average than every other developing region.

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