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Originally Posted by politicophile
I'm certainly not denying that there is abuse of free trade by the powerful nations. However, one should not be too hasty to discount the enthusiasm of the third world in signing agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA.
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But what about the abuse? This isn't just some CEOs being dicks, this is millions of jobs lost, regions being economically and politically destabilized, and people dying.
Have you ever had a banana that's not from Chiquita, Dole or Del Monte? You probably never will. A WTO panel in 1999 ruled that the EU could no longer give preferential treatment to banana imports from the Caribbean. The EU had agreed with the Caribbean to purchase 2/3 of all banans from the Caribbean Islands. Thanks to the WTO, mass poverty, high unemployment, regional instability , and starvation overtook the the Caribbean. BTW, the bananas from the Caribbean were the last 3% of bananas produced worldwide that were not under the direct control of Chiquita, Dole or Del Monte. Who elected the WTO panel? No one.
It is because of cases like this that many were forced to sign the CAFTA.
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Originally Posted by politicophile
I regret that I don't have time to read a 30-page anti-capitalist rant. I am aware of (and disturbed by) global inegalitarianism. However, I see no need to learn more about a problem that I already understand. I am looking for an article written be someone who appreciates the great benefits of capitalism and has suggestions for remedying the drawbacks.
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It never hurts to hear someone else's perspective.
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Originally Posted by politicophile
If I'm not mistaken, you are a college student taking a course about the horrors of capitalism taught by an angry Marxist professor who has never worked outside the Academy (i.e., had a real job). You fail to offer real-world solutions, instead deriding the actions of the United States without endeavoring to understand its motives. And then you demand that I should stop being quiet and instead "shut up with [my] condescending pompous attitude." I find it unfortunate that my silence was interpreted as "condescending pompous attitude", as it was merely the result of my personal disinterest in carrying on a conversation with a reactionary college student who has no interest in understanding alternative viewpoints. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some exploiting to do.
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Aren't you 20? What real world experience do you have? I'm sory to sound ageist, but the reality of being a 20 year old in America is that you are not likely to have real world experience with complex economics.
I realize that I'm only 22, but I am a VP of a large internet company (just got promoted from head of HR!!). My economics from college is a bit fuzzy, I'll admit. I try to let my conscience lead my intelect in most matters though. In the case of global capitolism and the corporations taking advantage of free trade and the WTO, my sonscience is telling me to try to defend the weak and stop those who would oppress.