The so-called 'free market' is neither free nor fair in reality
Ever wondered what the truths about the so-called 'free market' are?
The free market has been championed by most mainstream politicians for the last 30 years as 'good for the economy' and 'necessary' and 'efficient'. Greens and socialists like me oppose it vigorously simply because we know the truth:
Not only are these myths untrue, the free market is also neither free nor fair, as its progress has shown.
What the expansion of the free market across most of this world has actually done is, within market sectors, concentrated economic power into the hands of a few oligarchic corporations, who essentially share the same agenda as each other-to maximise profits at the expense of people and planet. In many markets there is no real choice-Britain's energy market is a prime example, with six energy companies controlling 99% of household energy, which is essential in our modern society. This is even more true when public services end up getting sold off to private companies, who are fundamentally incapable of running them properly no matter what they try.
Freedom in the free market only exists for the rich owners and shareholders.
By contrast, in fair trade, all who partake in a fair trade enterprise (e.g. a cooperative) will benefit in some way, and fair trade also considers social and environmental impacts, which free trade ultimately never does.
Given the increasing encroachment of artificial climate change, and the fact that billions of people go hungry and thirsty because of the inherent inequality of free trade and agribusiness, our society must undergo a transition to fair trade, on a global scale, before it is too late. Transnational agribusinesses like Monsanto and Syngenta are not only trying to pepper all agriculture with genetically modified organisms, but are also pressuring governments to patent seeds and stop the growing of non-patented seeds. We all need to fight back-now. More information about this can be found via Save our Seeds, Friends of the Earth, and other organisations that support fair trade and organic agriculture, as well as the living wage in Britain and elsewhere.
Alan.
The free market has been championed by most mainstream politicians for the last 30 years as 'good for the economy' and 'necessary' and 'efficient'. Greens and socialists like me oppose it vigorously simply because we know the truth:
Not only are these myths untrue, the free market is also neither free nor fair, as its progress has shown.
What the expansion of the free market across most of this world has actually done is, within market sectors, concentrated economic power into the hands of a few oligarchic corporations, who essentially share the same agenda as each other-to maximise profits at the expense of people and planet. In many markets there is no real choice-Britain's energy market is a prime example, with six energy companies controlling 99% of household energy, which is essential in our modern society. This is even more true when public services end up getting sold off to private companies, who are fundamentally incapable of running them properly no matter what they try.
Freedom in the free market only exists for the rich owners and shareholders.
By contrast, in fair trade, all who partake in a fair trade enterprise (e.g. a cooperative) will benefit in some way, and fair trade also considers social and environmental impacts, which free trade ultimately never does.
Given the increasing encroachment of artificial climate change, and the fact that billions of people go hungry and thirsty because of the inherent inequality of free trade and agribusiness, our society must undergo a transition to fair trade, on a global scale, before it is too late. Transnational agribusinesses like Monsanto and Syngenta are not only trying to pepper all agriculture with genetically modified organisms, but are also pressuring governments to patent seeds and stop the growing of non-patented seeds. We all need to fight back-now. More information about this can be found via Save our Seeds, Friends of the Earth, and other organisations that support fair trade and organic agriculture, as well as the living wage in Britain and elsewhere.
Alan.
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