Free trade and underdevelopment

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How does globalised free market capitalism affect human rights issues in developing countries? A free market has benefited the Western world, where consumers have freedom and wide range of choices, and where the gap between rich and poor is relatively small. However, trade barriers carry considerable disadvantages for developing countries where entering the globalised market economy has not always led to the prosperity foreseen.

According to Professor Amin, the dispossession of the peasantry in Asia, Africa and Latin America forms the major contemporary tendency towards pauperisation. Therefore, and as an alternative to following the model of capitalism, it is advised developing countries should make their external relations subordinate to constraints of their internal development. What consequences does Prof. Amin's solution have for the protection of human rights?

Speaker: Samir Amin

More information:

• Globalism/Antiglobalism : a survey and a view
• Review of Martin Wolf's "Why Globalization Works'
• Lecture "Making Globalisation Work" by Joseph Stiglitz
• Interview Volkskrant met Samir Amin
• Documentaire: Globalization is Good