Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Publication

From the slave trade to 'free' trade

Burnett, Patrick
Manji, Firoze
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Online Access
Abstract
2005 saw a mass mobilisation around the world, calling for ‘trade justice’. The campaigners were lobbying for the introduction and implementation of new world trade rules, ones that would work for all people, instead of benefiting those who already have the most. They argued that the global trading system should be rebalanced, taking into account the needs of the poor, human rights and the environment. But, can trade in the era of globalisation be ‘fair’ or ‘just’? This collection of essays was first published in the award-winning electronic newsletter Pambazuka News. Drawing on lessons from the slave trade, studies of the international trade system and the experiences of people struggling to make a living, they provide insights into how free trade policies have a profoundly negative impact on democracy and justice in Africa. Whether it is the absence of women’s voices at global trade negotiations, the decimation of a country’s health system as a result of World Bank policies or the sacrificing of community rights in the interests of multinational corporations, it is clear that ‘free’ trade polices impose a profit first and people last regime on Africa.
Note(s)
Topic
Type
Book
Date
2007
Identifier
ISBN
9780954563745
9780954563745 (ebook)
DOI
Copyright/License
Creative Commons Copyright (CC 2.5)
Embedded videos