Title: By Ben, Mark, Paddy, Tim
1Title Page
Fair Trade, Not Aid
By Ben, Mark, Paddy, Tim Tim
2Fair Trade Definition
Fair Trade
A commercial agreement under which distributors
sell products of a given class at no less than a
minimum price set by the manufacturer
3Aid Definition
Aid
Refers to any money or resources that are
transferred from one country to another without
expecting full repayment.
4Fair Trade
FAIR TRADE
5What is Fair Trade? And why should we implement
it? Not everyone benefits from international
trade. In less developed nations, the workforce
is often exploited by large multinationals under
low wages and long work hours whilst the company
makes abnormal profits from selling its
commodities overseas. Meanwhile, smaller domestic
firms in these countries find it hard to survive
as larger firms will often have most of the
market share. Also, MEDCs are prone to setting up
expensive trade barriers to prevent the dumping
of cheap goods from these domestic firms into
their country. This is known as protectionism and
makes it very hard for these domestic firms to
expand internationally. Fair Trade helps the
disadvantaged workforce and producers by
attempting to control development sustainably.
A coffee farm, Brazil
- The goals of fair trade are
- To improve market access, price rates, producer
organizations and trade stability with these
producers. - To prevent the exploitation of child labor and
open up greater benefits for less-skilled
workers mainly women and indigenous people. - To protect human / labor rights by promoting
economic, social and environmental security. - To raise awareness of the Fair Trade act,
international trade ethics and the rules and
ethics of conventional international trade.
6- The Fair Trade Foundation
- The Fair Trade Foundation is a UK originated
organization set up by non-government
organizations and alternative traders. It uses a
labeling system, the Fair Trade mark, to depict
which firms and commodities have been produced
according to the Fair Trade guidelines it sets.
Consumers will then be obliged to only purchase
these goods to help prevent the exploitation of
workforces and producers in these nations. A
firm may apply for the Fair Trade mark if it
meets with the following guidelines - For factories or plantations reasonable working
hours and conditions. - For small farms or farming co-operatives a
democratic structure. - A price offered to the producers from the
suppliers which pay for their total cost of
production. - Long term production planning and sustainable
production practices. - Additional social benefits for the producers.
- Partial payment to the producers in advance to
help them prevent falling into debt. - The Fair Trade Labeling Organizations Ltd.
- This organization sets the criteria for
establishing and maintaining Fair Trade
standards. Firms which meet these standards can
apply to the FLO. All in all, there are 17 Fair
Trade organizations in the world.
7Not Aid
8Why Get Aid?
- Economical Reasons
- Political Reasons
- Moral Reasons
9Economical Reasons
- The most important and the strongest reason why a
country receives aid. Aid helps to - Supplement the lack of domestic resources such as
foreign exchange. - Enables infrastructure changes to be made to the
economy such as dams and roads . - Contributes to the take-off phase in sustained
economic growth. - Increase the infrastructure, created by the
foreign MNC, within the coutry
10Political Reasons
- Foreign Aid is often seen as a necessity for a
country if it is to maintain power. - Military goods is a good example.
- Maintains existing government
- Helps suppress the opposition
- Example Military goods helped maintain the power
balance between NATO and the Soviet Union, in the
continent of Africa.
11Moral Aid
- MEDCs feel that they have a responsibility for
the development of LEDCs - Is linked to basic humanitarian reasons
- Or after a colonial power has left the country
after using most of its recourses.
12Set Backs or Problems
- Overseas companies may lend money to small
entreprenuers, but the profit and comercial
benefits created through banks will be less. - Transfers of low interest grants interfere in the
market determination of interest rates and
exchange rates
- Aid can have set backs for LEDCs.
- The set backs are all to do with the three types
of aid. - Such problems are linked to private companies
with the nation
13Winners and Losers
- Winners
- American Industry workers, farmers in less
developed countries, Chile (who have recently
struck a fair trade deal with the USA), Drug
developers (as fair trade is now accepted in the
pharmaceutical world) and customers will gain as
prices on food will be cheaper.
14Losers
- European farmers are the major loser if free
trade is to take place. - Governments in developed countries may lose
revenue from import taxes or tax from local
companies. - Multinationals may lose out because they will no
longer be able to exploit developing countries as
fair trade will allow these countries to
hopefully develop. - Companies such as Dale (banana producers will
face an increase in competition from overseas.
15Conclusion
- Fair Trade is a good idea in theory but it may
take along time for all developed nations to
comply to this. - Many people feel fair trade is better then aid.
This is because it allows the economies of the
undeveloped nations to develop. - However many developed nations are against this
as they will no longer be able to exploit the
less developed nations. And it will enable these
nations to break into all markets.
16Conclusion
- There is also a double edged sword as the
undeveloped nations cant develop without
sufficient food, however they cant develop with
free food (aid). - Fair trade will also lead to a price decrease as
EU subsidies will have to be taken away so the EU
farmers can compete with the farmers from Africa
and Asia. Therefore many EU farmers will be out
of business.
17Conclusion
- Some things are now traded freely around the
world such as drugs to fight against Aids. These
are now traded freely to African nations.