WTO, FTAA, IMF, World Bank

[Everyday Anarchy]

I'm curious as to why leftists protest organizations such as the WTO or IMF. Is it merely because they're capitalist organizations or are there more specific reasons?

If I were to speak against the, for example, WTO or FTAA and somebody asks what I don't like about them... "they're capitalist" isn't a great rebuttal.

[LSD]

It's not so much a matter of their "being capitalist" as it is about their being imperialist.

The WTO, WB, and IMF are key organizations with which the first world bourgeoisie exercize their domination over the developing world. It is by means of these bodies that the "west" both effects its "reforms" in the third world and attempts to legitimize them as "sanctioned".

Its much like how the UN is used to rubber stamp imperialist political ventures, but in this case the scam is even more obvious.

Even liberals acknowledge that these groups are really nothing more than agents of neoliberalism and so there is a pretty broad-based opposition to them.

Its kind of like the "anybody but Bush" campaign. The flaws of the WTO et al., are so blindingly obvious that pretty much everyone left of center recognizes them. That means that the protests against these groups tend to be larger than those against less "obvious" "baddies".

And insofar as the FTAA and other "free trade" agreements, our opposition simply stems from our loyality to the international proletariat. "Free trade" as it is presently constructed is only a bennefit to the bosses and governments.

History has consistantly shown that workers are overwhelmingly harmed by such treaties.


If I were to speak against the, for example, WTO or FTAA and somebody asks what I don't like about them...

If they ask about the WTO, explain to them that it nothing more than a shill by which the first worst covers up its rape of the third. Explain that it and other like organizations hold much of the "south" in virtual bondage and exploit their position of power to force neoliberalism and neocolonization.

If they ask about the FTAA, simply explain that the liberalization of capital flow only bennefits those who have capital and that the wider the free-trading social gap, the worse the labour conditions.

[RebelDog]

One simple but effective point is they are thoroughly undemocratic and secretive.
I am a UK citizen (not subject) and I pay taxes which in turn pay the salary of a one Mr Tom Scholar. He is the UK's executive director to the WB and the IMF. They meet in secret. If you were to try to find out what he is up to using the UK 'freedom of information act' then you would find yourself refused such a request. Even elected UK members of parliament have no access to what is discussed.
Such institutions are essential drivers of capitalist globalisation and their policies have savage consequences for the most vulnerable on our planet.

[cbm989]

One common slogan...it may be a song title is "The WTO kills farmers" which for the msot part is very true if you go to parts of Latin America. Basicly these organization lower trade barriers and get rid of tariffs, making it easier for the U.S. to outsource its jobs and also makes it easier to impose slave labor throughout the world. Also, when corporations move their production to other countries they dont have to deal with as many enviormental regulations, thus contributing to the destruction of our planet. Its like a stepping stool for big corporations...like they need it.

[STN]

Yes, the WTO does kill farmers.

One thing I know is about NAFTA. In order for Mexico to join the North American Free Trade Agreement, they had to change article 27 in there constitution. That article gaurenteed land distribution to the poor. So there ya go on Nafta. It was set out to exploit.

If your interested in all this. I think you should read some Noam Chomsky. He will help you out.