Fix not kill the WTO, Support the G20, Make Trade Fair.

Socio-political rants

I have been reading... it seems to me that I am not quite sure why people want to dismantle the WTO as from the talks it seems there is much discussion on the farm subsidies as well as giving LDN (least developed nations) a different kind of quota system. It seems that part of what was happening on the last few days was developing nations as well as the G8 taking turns to say their piece. EU nations has pledged to reduce their subsidies although the US is being difficult as per usual. There is much talk about improving the standard of living for the poorest nations, and if the WTO is truly so awful for countries why do they keep wanting to join it? Foreign investment is important for development. Developing world simply do not have the capital to do so. What I do know is places that have money thrown in has roads, and slightly better conditions for the workers (yes, ohh, companies can afford that 2 extra cents per shoe). Foreign companies do give jobs if they start out companies in developing nations and train people. It seems that with that, it improves the lives of those in the middle, as well (as usual) the richest people in a country. But I suppose what those anti-wto say is true, it makes the rich richer and poor poorer but are they not talking about the most extremes of the situation, and that globalization helps create a larger middle class? So the very truth of the matter is just making sure the interests of the poor is taken care of while trying to improve the economy as a whole?

When I look at the Korean farmers trying to make their way into the Convention Center to say their piece, it seems that they are already discussing those issues and it is on the table. So really is the WTO the monster or the fact it needs improving? There is no doubt there are issues. But really should we not be supporting the needs and wants of the G20 instead of trying to disrupt the procedures? Should people not be truly aiming for making trade fair because on the flip side of being in the WTO the nations can ship cheaper goods into developed nations, and if it was truly free trade then there should be no quotas something that the G8 is very far from allowing to happen.

On this issue I am truly trying to find some answers. I don't want to be a knee jerk activist or a knee jerk capitalist as having traveled some of the poorest nations in the Asia and Americas, the conditions some of our fellow human beings exists in is simply atrocious and there really needs to be a change. My friend Ming wrote me an email saying it was brave of me to admit in public that I do not have the answers, I wanted to tell her that it's got nothing to do with me, it has far more to do with the conditions of people I have seen. I am really sick of the decisions each day I make as a first world citizen unwittingly oppresses people around the world, but I am pretty sure that trying to dismantle the institutions we already have to be nowhere in sight all the while people are starving and dying, and living in slums and being paid nothing.

As usual I think everyone should take a deep breath before we all start screaming and shouting on both sides, because right now we are all looking stupid. Everyone of us are that way because we can't justify the way the world is considering the resources and technology advancement we have and how unequal it is. I don't like looking stupid, I don't like being wrong, and I know each day as we live as we do, that's what we as humans are being, stupid and wrong. Us as entities by nature are always striving for progress and that's what we need so much right now, personally I don't care which way.

Comments

[tim Fong]

Yan,
I find that I agree with you here, that done right outside investment in LDCs can help people. It's all about, though, letting the LDCs figure out how they want to globalize, as oppose to having it foisted on them in an all or nothing circumstance.

[Michael]

I understand what u mean...the wto is not inherently bad..though the first round of wto agreeements resulted in huge winners (the west, US, EU, big business, pharmaceuticals) and big losers. That's why I sympathize much with the lesser developed countries who are forced to comply with WTO regulations, and don't have the freedom to decide how much of their economy is vulnerable to "international regulations" and western markets.