Animation: Trade Justice - why world trade rules need to change

A short animated clip on world trade and why things need to change. Animation from Trade Aid a New Zealand fair trade organisation. For more info see Trade Aid's alternative trade DVD also on youtube.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• fair-trade
• trade
• justice
• poverty
• craft
• kenya
• fair
• free-trade
• free
• grassroots
• outreach
• government
• world
• nonprofit
• public
• service
• announcements

[CrookdRiverWmn]

Well done. My only question is what role has Kenya's problems with corruption played in all this? Every African I've ever worked with points to the internal problems of their countries, particularly corruption and greed. They acknowledge outside factors, but they are clear about what holds their countries back from within as well.

[tradeaid]

Corruption increases with poverty and decreases as wages go up. In other words, corruption does not lead to poverty it is the other way round. It then makes it that much harder to break the out of poverty...

[KrugmanTheKing]

@PovertyMe

Because of course, the extended experience of a single person who presents his ideas using connotation as much outdoes statistics now? Provide empirical support and then begin to speak. Meanwhile, your voice only echoes anger, but not truth.

[1000101er]

Cool video, but seems factually flawed.

(0:56) Kenyan Real GDP has actually grown at an accelerated pace since they joined the WTO in 1995.

(1:05) According to the U.N. youth literacy rates in Kenya are 20% higher now than they were in 1980.

(1:30) So China, India, Japan, and South Korea combined account for less than 1% of world trade...

(1:54) WTO encourages all members to lower trade barriers, rich members like U.S. have low tarrifs.

Fair trade means rich nations cutting subsidies.

[ratatabatata]

@tradeaid Great response

[picetureittwice]

@LucisFerre1, thank you for your answer! It is very nicely done, though it is not exactly accurate.. thanks for your help!

[louiethegreater]

@LucisFerre1 I don't know, none for American workers. Using the U.S. for retail only, supports Wall Street, and government by Goldman Sachs. The top 1%s income has went up 270% since 1970. The working class has flat lined.

[louiethegreater]

@LucisFerre1 Hey you seem to be hung up on the backhoe. Whats the problem?

[LucisFerre1]

@louiethegreater How much wealth did the top 1% create?

[LucisFerre1]

@louiethegreater Are you saying that we should outlaw the use of backhoes so that 100,000 shovel using ditch diggers won't have to find something more productive to do with their time? Because that seems to be what you're arguing for.

[louiethegreater]

@LucisFerre1 You are saying that if all light bulb manufacturing went to Asia, and the--- say--100,000 workers the industry supported in the US, that somehow that action would somehow magically create 100,000 + jobs in the U.S.That is truly voodoo economics. If one applies that strategy to industry after industry, than it is self evident that the U.S. will not survive the plight of free trade. The Ameican middle class has been destroyed by the very economic theory you believe.

[louiethegreater]

@LucisFerre1 So you are saying that it is the responsibility of the poor, and middle class to keep the rich, heavy with capital, so they can provide jobs for Asian subsistence factory workers. You are correct, those with capital in the U.S. is creating jobs in Asia, while destroying the economy of their own country. Tell me are you rich or just a cheer leader for the rich. Are you aware that 85% of the newly created wealth in the US went to the top 1%. Is that what you are cheer leader for?

[LucisFerre1]

@louiethegreater said, [["Outsourcing labor intense, value added operations to cheap Asian labor markets is not advantageous to anyone but the country that performs the operations. In China's case the top 10% prospers while the masses strive in their daily lives."]]

What do you think the rich do with their money, stuff it in logs? They put it in the bank, which increases the money supply and "loosens" up the credit market. They invest it in corps, creating jobs. They spend it, creating jobs.

[LucisFerre1]

@louiethegreater said, [["Outsourcing labor intense, value added operations to cheap Asian labor markets is not advantageous to anyone but the country that performs the operations. In China's case the top 10% prospers while the masses strive in their daily lives."]]

False. We can maintain the same number of employees while their cheap goods allow OUR consumers to have money to spend other places in the US, creating even more jobs, and the more affordable hats increase our standard of living.