The
World Trade Organization, successor to the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT), really came into prominence, the week
of November 29th in Seattle, Washington. WTO's mission, to supervise
and liberalize world trade, was overshadowed by massive, and sometimes
absurd street demonstrations, that led to the resignation of Seattle's
police chief, Norm Stamper.
Free
trade between vastly different countries creates many issues...
While
the unions are demanding protection of their high wage jobs, exactly
who is the customer that is willing to pay more to make this possible?
How many of the union protesters were wearing clothing manufactured
in America?
The
environmentalists were upset, but I'm not sure at what. Those
protesting high-tech agricultural methods ("frankenfoods") don't
seem to understand that such progress means that less land would
have to be cleared for farming, as yields per acre are greater.
Then
there are those who hold that it would be environmental disaster
if all the poor nations were to come up to our standard of living.
Think of the environmental impact, they say.
What
incredible arrogance!!
Presumably,
the sweatshop workers that other demonstrators are trying to protect
should not be allowed to have their living conditions improve,
since too many resources would be utilized. Only WE should be
allowed to live the dream.
Such
talk betrays a profound lack of appreciation for the human spirit,
and man's ability to improve his lot.
In
the late 19th century, it was concluded that New York City could
not sustain any more growth, since there was no more room for
horses, to say nothing of the horse manure.
But,
more fundamentally, the argument that those third worlders are
better off using less resources, and are happier, is foolish in
the extreme. If we were visited by an extraterrestrial much more
advanced civilization, would we not want to take advantage of
some of the gadgets, even if we didn't fully "understand" them?
What office worker of the 1920's would rather not use a 1990's
computer?
As
far as resources, the history of mankind is replete with examples
of new technology coming in to "save" us from running out of the
old. With regards to food, there is certainly NOT a shortage.
The
world's current agricultural capacity can easily feed more than
50 billion people. That many go hungry is a function of politics,
civil wars, and corrupt governments.
Is
the Earth overpopulated? Hardly.
The
entire population of the world could be placed in single family
dwellings, four individuals to a house, with a nice yard, in a
typical middle class American layout, and take up only the area
of the Canadian province of Alberta.
Beverly
Hills, California has a much higher population density than Ethiopia,
but it is surely not a problem.
That
many are poor, and are living in squalor, is, again, a function
of politics, civil wars, and corrupt governments. We can also
add to this: unspeakable ignorance on the part of many of those
blessed with the bully pulpit.
Care
for an example? Some years ago, "pundit" John Chancellor was touring
the Soviet Union. He noticed that there was a shortage of shoes,
so kids couldn't dress properly for school. There was a shortage
of medicine, so people could not get proper health care, there
was a shortage of phones, so people could not get connected, and
there was a shortage of apartments, so many had to squeeze into
tiny living quarters.
This
had nothing at all to do with Communism, he said. There were just
shortages!!
We
would be better off protesting against our corrupt and incompetent
leaders and taste makers, wherever in the world we may be.
To
counter his extreme unpopularity at home, Yeltsin has made war
on tiny Chechnya, and damn the civilians. Clinton protests, but,
of course, he did the same in Serbia.
Is
it justice to grant Most Favored Nation trading status to the
brutal and corrupt regime in China?
And
let's not forget the pathetic tale of young Cuban, Elian Gonzalez,
whose mother died trying to get him to America. You would think
that the mere fact that people risk their lives on a daily basis
to leave Castro's miserable island would be enough to negate anything
old Fidel has to say. But, incredibly, the U. S. is in the midst
of negotiations that would provide for return of Cuban refugees
if they didn't quite make it to Miami, but allow them to stay
if they did arrive successfully! Elian is caught up in that quagmire,
and God knows how it will turn out.
Every
citizen of the world can recite examples of how he has been sold
out by his leaders. Nothing new here.
So,
it really comes down to this: A free market capitalist economy,
even as practiced in this country, gives its people strength enough
to overcome corrupt and incompetent leadership. Would that other
nations had it as good as we do.