Globalization debates II: largest corporations, TTIP, fair trade pros and cons

Is globalization good or bad overall?

This is the second post dedicated to online debates on globalization issues. In our first post we introduced debates on TTP, globalization pros and cons and overlapping national and regional identities. In this post we continue offering high quality debates emerged from the increasing interconnectedness across the globe:

Are multinational corporations replacing states as the main actors in the international arena?

Some multinational corporations are more powerful in economic terms than many states. 147 companies control 40% of the total wealth in the world. Corporations accoount for 2/3 of world exports, and 1/3 of world trade is estimated to be intra-firm trade between multinational companies. These corporations are clear beneficiaries of globalization, and have established a global oligopoly in many sectors such as autobile, chocolate, airplane, smart phone and beer industries. Since they can operate outside and across national boundaries, it is difficult to monitor and regulate any negative behavior. States, worried about possible job losses if companies move elsewhere, are loth to restrict corporations' behaviour. Therefore, multinational corporations are increasingly seen as excessively large and powerful, even a threat for governments and democracies. Are the largest corporations gradually replacing states as the main units of power in the world? Checkout this debate and poll here.

Is the TTIP a threat or an opportunity?

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) aims at creating a free-trade agreement between the USA and EU member states.  After the global financial crisis governments at both sides of the Atlantic thought that this could be a good way to accelerate economic growth. However, in addition to the apparent benefits that a trade agreement such as the TTIP would bring to Europe and America, TTIP also has long-term negative side effects. Some economists have expressed concerns about the asymmetric distribution of the benefits generated. Workers in manufacturing industries could become losers in this process. Many civil-society groups are now campaigning against this agreement, trying to force decision-makers to change it. They also claim that the TTIP will give great leverage to multinational corporations vis-a-vis states. Companies will be able to sue states if they constrain free competition.
Do you think the TTIP is a good idea? Participate in the debate about the pros and cons of TTIP

Does fair trade challenge or support existing power relation asymmetries?

This is a debate created at netivist.org by the London School of Economics. Fair trade  is a social movement which aims at supporting sustainable farming and helping producers in poor countries. Fair trade schemes incentivize changes in the supply chain of certain products to improve the working conditions of disadvantage people in rural areas. Fair trade wants to reduce traditional exploitative practices and empower women workers and producers in rural labor markets. However, some studies have cast some doubts on the real impact of fair trade. Child labor and routine sexual harassment continue to be present at both fair trade and non fair trade research sites. Fair trade may be helping to support the development of a class of capitalist farmers, but not empowering the poorest. Are we really helping the poor and sustainable farming when buying fairtrade certified products?
Join this debate on the pros and cons of fair trade, click here

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