Seattle
police use gas to push back World Trade Organization protesters
in
downtown Seattle in this Nov. 30, 1999
Seattle police use gas to push back World Trade Organization protesters
in downtown Seattle in this Nov. 30, 1999
Global economic changes over the past 20 years have been nothing more than a disgraceful "race to the bottom," as powerful multinational corporations have cynically moved to take advantage of the poorest countries worldwide and their lax environmental and labor laws to maximize their profit. Globalization is about corporate power freed from any oversight or accountability at all; it tramples on human values, in the name of greed. It is the rise of powerful individuals (Bill Gates, Osama Ben Laden) relative to the power of nations and indigenous cultures; as individuals gain strength, whole communities are pushed aside and impoverished. In the name of profits our world is being degraded and damaged environmentally and culturally, and American hegemony is a new form of imperialism and exploitation which will wreak havoc everywhere. Proselytizers of free trade tell us the Global Economy will make us all rich; the reality is that the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.
Advocates of the New Economy will explain the status quo as inevitable and unavoidable. They say, "Get with it or get left behind!" They claim we just need to adapt as well as we can. This is a false set of choices. The world does not have to be as it is; it can be better.
Concerned citizens of the world unite! Fight international big business, rapacious greed, and unsustainable development!
Questions to keep in mind:
Major Links:
"The New Radicals," The people who brought us Seattle have now done Washington. Are they dreamers or sly subversives? from CNN
Globalization and Human Rights, from PBS. Thoroughly check out this site! Everything! (Re: Three pillars of economic globalization: The World Trade Organization, The International Monetary Fund and The World Bank.)
Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan's Home Page, and his America First Trade section.
Presidential candidate Ralph Nader's Home Page and his Fair Trade section.
Globalisation: What on Earth is it about? - primer on the economic/business trend. Also see a backgrounder on the IMF and World Bank, and profiles of their chiefs, Horst Koehler and James Wolfensohn, respectively. From the BBC.
The Search for Global Justice from CNN.
AFL-CIO, Economic Policy Institute, Economic Strategy Institute, The Institute for Economic Democracy, and Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch.
Globalization at a Crossroads, a great series of articles. Read them all!
International Monetary Fund (IMF) - promotes exchange stability and orderly exchange arrangements among member countries. Site hosts publications including the World Economic Outlook.
World Bank, and the World Bank Group - site includes an introduction to the organization that provides development assistance to client nations.
Under Secretary of State Stuart Eizenstat discusses the United States’ perspective on globalization.
"The IMF, World Bank, and the Prague Protests," from the Guardian in the U.K.
Read all the articles at the Mother Jones "Globalization Watch." Great source of opinion and political perspective! Also read "Globalization:the Farce."
Moblization for Global Justice and Social Justice Committee Public education and advocacy network on global economic justice
Interactive Guide: the IMF and World Bank - introduction to their origins and present role in world finance. From the Guardian. Requires Flash.
Business: The Economy: Economy Reports: The IMF and World Bank, from the BBC.
The Burden of Debt - special report from the BBC on efforts to cancel the unpayable debts of poor countries. Include a Q&A on debt relief.
World Economic Forum - international membership organization integrating leaders from business, government and academia.
"Toward a Global Open Society," by George Soros, an outspoken financier outlines more sharply a position for which he has been roundly attacked: that the global capitalist system urgently needs to be protected from itself. Great!
"The Revolution Upon Us," by Lester C. Thurow. "All that is solid melts into air" -- Karl Marx could have been describing the forces unleashed by the first truly global economy. Great!
"The Voice of Economic Nationalism," by Eyal Press (July 1998)
Pat Buchanan attacks
globalism as a conspiracy of "elites" callously indifferent to the wages and
living standards of working families. Great!
Advocacy Groups:
The International Forum on Globalization is an alliance of leading activists, scholars and economists formed to stimulate new thinking, joint activity, and public education in response to economic globalization.
G-20.org - official site; includes background information, news, and list of members. In English and French.
DestroyIMF A web resource for all those mobilising to end the poverty and injustice inflicted by global capitalism.
| IMF/World
Bank Meeting Prague 2000 - features news, a schedule of events,
and a look at protests, and
the countersummit
organized by organized by the Initiative Against Economic Globalization.
From the Prague Business Journal. |
| Globalisation: What on Earth is it about? - primer on the economic/business trend. Also see a backgrounder
on the IMF and World Bank, and profiles of their chiefs, Horst
Koehler and James
Wolfensohn, respectively. From the BBC. |
| Mobilization for Global Justice -
information about rallies and non-violent direct action to "demand a
peaceful, people-centered, and environmentally-sound global economic
system." |
| World Bank Group
- site includes an introduction
to the organization that provides development assistance to client
nations. |
| UNDP: Globalization
With a Human Face - reports that globalization
and world development has been inequitable, and that if left unchecked,
could harm human health, the environment, and
more. |
| 50 Years is Enough
- coalition dedicated to the profound
transformation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund
(IMF). |
| The Burden of Debt - special report from
the BBC on efforts to cancel the unpayable debts of poor countries.
Include a Q&A
on debt relief. |
| Corporate Watch
- studies the social, ecological and economic
impacts of transnational corporations. |
| G8
Information Centre - news, scholarly writings,
and information on G-8 summits, meetings and documents. From the
University of Toronto. |
| International Financial Institutions Research Site
- include basic references, books and
monographs, published articles and recent working papers. From the
Wellesley College Economics Department. |
| Summit Watch
- urging the G8 to forgive third world
debt. |
| Will Poorest Countries Get a Break from
Debt? |
| OECD - groups member countries in an organisation that provides governments a setting in which to discuss and develop economic and social policy. |
According to Neil Watkins of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, free trade pacts such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization accelerate the ’global race to the bottom.’
OneWorld Online - working together to broadcast an alternative world agenda, an agenda for a fairer world
Witness -Delivering communications equipment to human rights organizations.
Globalvision Homepage -Creator of the program "Globalization and Human Rights". An Emmy Award winning independent production company producing programs on human rights issues such as "South Africa Now" and the weekly news magazine "Rights and Wrongs" which aired for 4 years on major PBS stations.
The More You Watch, The Less You Know -This site features excerpts from and the reviews of Globalvision co-founder Danny Schechter's book, "THE MORE YOU WATCH THE LESS YOU KNOW ( Seven Stories Press) It seeks to to encourarge a discussion of the need for media reform. The site features a conversation that we call JOURNALISTS'S ANONYMOUS, encouraging working reporters and producers to blow the whistle on unethical news practices in their news room.The Media & Human Rights -Globalvision's news magazine show "Rights & Wrongs" has covered media issues. This site gives you the transcript of the show
Shell Cleaning Up Act For Ogoniland Return -describes efforts by shell to return to Ogoniland, which it withdrew from in 1993 after attacks on its installations in protest of its oil production practices.
Shell Controversy Web Directory -a list of links of Shell Controversy related pages
Factsheet on the Ogoni Struggle - information about Shell in Nigeria.
The World Market Sir Donald Tsang, financial secretary of Hong Kong; Eduardo Aninat, minister of finance in Chile; and Pedro Solbes, commissioner of economic and financial affairs for the European Union, discuss the global economy and 1999's annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Check out Globalism at Intellectual Capitol.comand read all the links. Great info!
Pros and cons of globalisation, book reviews from "The Economist"
Read Globalization and What To Do About the IMF and the The Globalization of Everything
Articles from PBS Newshour
One World, One Market Is globalization good or bad for America?
Global Crisis Phil Ponce is joined by Fred Bergsten, Susan Aaronson, and David Henderson to discuss the global financial crisis.
James Wolfensohn The president of the World Bank discusses the global economic crisis.
World Economy President Clinton addresses the IMF and World Bank on the global economic crisis.