Why We Are Here...
At the end of November, thousands of concerned citizens will converge on Seattle to try
to make themselves heard by an international authority notoriously shy about taking advice
or explaining its actions: The World Trade Organization, described by the London
Independent as the most powerful entity in the world and one of the most secretive.
Many headed for Seattle do not trust the WTO. Theyre skeptical of its motives.
They believe its rulings have been setbacks for environmental sustainability, human
rights, and democracy. Theyre coming to debate, demand reform, protestor shine
a light on the proceedings so that citizens will at least know about the closed-door
decisions that will affect their lives. To use the jargon, they want transparency. So do
we.
World Trade Observer, in print and online is, produced by organizations
representing environmentalists, labor activists, agriculture specialists, human-rights
campaigners, and others, will be published daily during the week of the Ministerial, with
the first free daily issue on the streets (and online at www.worldtradeobserver.org)
Monday, Nov. 29. Well provide news and analysis that look behind and beyond the
official communiques. This preview issue offers an introduction and background.
Trade is a basic function of society. Kids trade instinctively. Indigenous cultures
have barter systems. International trade has existed since before there were nations. The
essence of trade was swapping something you had plenty of for something you didnt
have enough of.
But in these last days of the century, trade has fundamentally changed. Once it was
about commodities. Now its trade for the sake of trade. The giant companies driving
globalization dont care whether they trade software or soft drinks, as long as they
make money. They care about their stockholders, their executive pay packages, and their
profits. Supposedly this forced march to open all markets will benefit everyone, but that
notion is belied by the widening gap between the planets haves and have-nots.
There are many costs to unfettered globalization. Even workers in rich counties are
threatened as transnational corporations move to wherever wages are lowest. Business
insists that free markets demand "a level playing field," so the trade rules
that get adopted bring all nations environmental or labor regulations down to the
level of the weakest ones. The WTOs critics agree on what the problems are, but not
on what to do about it.
Some think the WTO may be worth keeping around. Their slogan is "Review and
Repair." But there is a determined group who want to abolish the organization
altogether. In between is a group who say, "No New Round. Turn Around." They
want to reverse the momentum of globalization and work on rebuilding local cultures and
economies.
Apart from the United Nations, the WTO is the first international body to wield real
power. Will it become a force for equity, for resource protection, for social justice, for
human rights? Does it want to? Or is it so much a transnationals tool that asking
the question is like wondering if the fox will stop raiding the henhouse?
The Observer is committed to examining these questions; to airing the full range of
views; to helping journalists, participants, and observers understand each others
perspectives; and like all good newspapers, to raise constructive hell if needed. We
invite your comments, opinions, reactions, commentary, letters and leaks. (Especially
leaks.) You can find out where to reach us and more about who we are here.
Welcome to Seattle. It should be an interesting week. Tom Turner,
Editor