Who are the players?

Anti-globalisation Groups

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (www.iisd.org) is a non-profit, research institute. It recognises the importance of trade liberalisation and investment for economic growth and development. IISD also suggests that trade liberalisation may hinder development, and questions the environmental, social and economic impacts of trade. IISD argues that sustainable development is best achieved through a single framework, integrating environmental protection and the promotion of economic growth and social equity, and that innovation is necessary for sustainable living.

The International Forum on Globalization (www.ifg.org) promotes alternatives to globalisation. It opposes global governance and supports the accumulation of power at the local level. IFG advocates the implementation of trade barriers to protect local production and is against international trade unless a good or service can not be produced locally. On the environment, IFG argues that conservation is the key to sustainable development, and that capitalist-oriented globalisation is resulting in its destruction. IFG opposes the emergence of a strong private sector as it undermines the role of government in the protection of human rights, and believes intellectual property rights, and TRIPs, should be reversed to reflect local and domestic interests rather than the interests of transnational corporations.

Greenpeace (www.greenpeace.org/international) is a non-profit, global organisation campaigning to protect the environment. Greenpeace claims that free trade usually benefits wealthy countries at the expense of poor countries. It argues that sustainable development requires the promotion of the environment and human health above free trade, and suggests ‘corporate-led’ globalisation is unsustainable. Greenpeace opposes free trade and promotes sustainable trade and development on the basis of conserving the environment and the use of natural resources.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (www.wwf.org) is a conservation organisation that seeks to eliminate environmental degradation. According to the WWF, trade is an essential tool for economic prosperity. However, it advocates environmental protectionism over free trade, and perceives such protectionism as the key to sustainable development. The WWF opposes the implementation of protectionist export subsidies, claiming that they are detrimental to developing countries’ interests, and argues in favour of intellectual property rights for land conservation and the protection of indigenous people’s rights.

Oxfam (www.oxfam.org/eng/) is an international, development agency that aims to eliminate global poverty, suffering and injustice. Although Oxfam recognises the potential for trade and investment to generate sustainable development, it claims that trade and investment have in fact increased poverty and inequality. Oxfam campaigns for ‘Fair Trade’ rather than free trade, promoting ‘fair’ prices and special treatment for poor farmers, and the elimination of agricultural subsidies. It views ‘fair’ trade as the key to poverty reduction and ‘rights-based’ development, which focuses on human economic and social rights. Oxfam argues for improved labour standards in poor countries, and holds corporations responsible for improving these standards. Oxfam also promotes sustainable development and environmental protections through more sustainable consumption and the implementation of environmental standards. It views intellectual property rights as being damaging to developing countries, and argues for the prohibition of intellectual property rights in trade agreements and for reform of the TRIPS agreement.

Friends of the Earth International (www.foei.org) is a confederation of environmental organisations that oppose economic globalisation. FOEI promotes environmentally sustainable consumption, arguing that ‘free trade’ is unsustainable. FOEI contends that trade benefits large corporations to the detriment of people and that WTO-led trade liberalisation is a threat to the environment.

The Center for International Environmental Law (www.ciel.org) is a non-profit organisation that promotes public health and environmental protection through international law and institutions. Although CIEL recognises the potential benefits from trade and foreign investment, it argues that trade rules conflict with and override environmental standards. CIEL perceives a sustainable global economy as one in which environmental concerns are managed separately from trade, and where trade rules and institutions support conservation and are environmentally responsible. CIEL also argues that intellectual property rights are an obstacle to sustainable development as they unfairly benefit private interests.

Public Citizen (www.citizen.org) is a non-profit consumer advocacy and environmental organisation based in the United States. It is anti-privatisation and opposes free market policies. Public Citizen views trade and investment liberalisation as detrimental to environmental sustainability and worker’s rights. Public Citizen argues that free markets are inadequate and should be replaced by a more human-focused and environmentally sustainable model. It supports the achievement of public health over the implementation of intellectual property rights and advancement of commercial interests.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (www.msf.org) is a humanitarian aid agency that provides emergency medical assistance during crises situations and raises global awareness of such crises. It advances the importance of human rights and public health above international trade, intellectual property rights and commercial interests. This is clearly indicated through its ‘Access to Essential Medicines’ campaign. MSF claims that the poor’s access to medicine is restricted by market-driven prices, and that this is often the result of intellectual propertyrights protection that favours rich countries.

Consumers International (www.consumersinternational.org) is a non-profit organisation that claims to defend the rights of consumers, particularly those that are marginalised or poor. While Consumer International acknowledges the potential benefits to consumers of market economies and world trade, it seeks to promote a fairer society, on the basis of consumer-focused trade liberalisation, and sustainable and equitable consumption. Consumer International opposes the privatisation of public services and advances public health interests over the implementation of intellectual property rights.

The World Conservation Union (www.iucn.org), formally known as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, is a conservation network promoting environmental sustainability and the equitable consumption of natural resources. The World Conservation Union argues that the environmental protection is imperative for economic development. It claims that business has the potential to impact both positively and negatively on the environment. Therefore, it seeks opportunities to reduce environmental degradation through cooperation with business and through the development of market-based incentives.

Focus on the Global South (www.focusweb.org) is a development policy program affiliated with the Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute in Thailand. FGS argues that ‘corporate-driven’ globalisation has increased global poverty, inequality and environmental degradation. It is opposed to free trade, and suggests that free trade is anti-development. FGS also proposes that trade, and agricultural protectionism in particular, benefits rich countries at the expense of poor countries. FGS opposes intellectual property rights, arguing that the TRIPs agreement impedes the transfer of technology to developing countries, and provides corporations with patent protection over agricultural products needed in developing countries like seeds.

The Third World Network (www.twnside.org.sg) is a non-profit, international network of individuals and organisations that focus on development, third world and North-South issues. TWN presents itself as broadly representing Southern interests and perspectives. It recognises environmental conservation as a central aspect of sustainable development, and accuses economic globalisation, and developed countries’ unsustainable production and consumption, for increasing environmental degradation. It questions the benefits of free trade, the policies of international financial institutions and opposes the use of agricultural subsidies. Furthermore, TWN criticises intellectual property rights, and the TRIPs agreement, arguing that they reduce developing countries’ capacity to acquire new technologies and eliminate biopiracy.

OneWorld (www.oneworld.net) is an online civil society network promoting human rights and sustainable development. It sources information and views from human rights and poverty-focused organisations worldwide. OneWorld supports trade justice rather than free trade, and promotes trade rules that benefit poor countries and the environment. Though it is not clear what these rules are, it opposes the implementation of agricultural subsidies, claiming that they harm poor farmers. OneWorld supports sustainable development and highlights environmental protection as a key requirement for development. It promotes human rights and worker’s rights, maintaining that globalisation does not improve labour standards in developing countries. OneWorld opposes the implementation of intellectual property rights, arguing that they harm poor countries and inhibit poverty alleviation and development.

SEATINI (Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute) is an initiative that aims to increase Africa’s capacity to participate in, and benefit from, the global trading system, and more effectively manage the impact of globalisation. While SEATINI supports the protection of human rights and worker’s rights, it opposes WTO-enforced labour standards, arguing that cheap labour provides developing countries with a competitive trade advantage. SEATINI views protectionism as the means for achieving development, arguing that free market policies keep developing countries impoverished. (www.seatini.org)

Indymedia (www.indymedia.org/en/index.shtml) is a collective of Leftist media organisations and journalists providing radical, non-corporate perspectives. While Indymedia claims that it does not consciously represent a particular point-of-view, it acknowledges that many of its people are anti-corporate and seek alternative forms of globalisation. They support environmental protection, fair trade and equitable globalisation. Postings on Indymedia criticise intellectual property rights, and oppose the exploitation of workers and human rights abuses.

The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (www.ictsd.org) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation claiming to focus on developing countries’ interests. It questions the effectiveness of intellectual property rights in the development of poor countries, and suggests that such rights predominately serve developed countries’ interests. ICTSD views free trade as being largely ineffective, and seeks alternative approaches to sustainable development. Emphasising the importance of environmental protection, it recognises the potential for trade liberalisation to achieve sustainable development, provided that the development approach contains sufficient environmental safeguards.

The World Social Forum (www.forumsocialmundial.org.br) is a non-governmental forum for NGOs, social movements and networks seeking alternatives to neo-liberal policies for sustainable and equitable development. In general, the WSF claims to oppose ‘corporate-led’ globalisation, capital domination and all forms of imperialism, highlighting the prominence of human rights and environmental protection. It opposes free market policies, such as privatisation and trade liberalisation, and the implementation of intellectual property rights, promoting the decentralisation of world power to the national level. The WSF further opposes the exploitation of worker’s rights, human rights and the environment, arguing in favour of ‘social’ and environmental protections.

The Centre for Research on Globalization (www.globalresearch.ca) is a Canadian-based media and research group and non-profit organisation. It provides a left of centre perspective on issues and is highly critical of the policies of the United States of America. Centre contributors oppose free market policies, highlighting the negative effects of minimal government intervention and state-funded benefits. In particular, they criticise World Bank and IMF policies for enforcing market liberalisation and privatisation, allowing the patenting of biological resources by corporations, and for increasing poverty in developing countries. The Centre also emphasises human rights abuses and increasing restrictions on freedoms throughout developed countries such as the United States.

Anti-Globalisation Individuals

George Monbiot (www.monbiot.com) is an author, journalist, academic, and environmental and political activist who writes for The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom. Monbiot opposes capitalism and supports policies of regulation and government intervention. Although he asserts that trade is the key to poverty alleviation and development, he promotes trade protectionism, arguing that developing countries must strengthen their industries behind trade barriers before employing free market policies, as free trade will destroy their economies. Monbiot advocates environmental protection and worker’s rights, opposing exploitation and highlighting that capitalism is not a viable approach due to the world’s finite natural resources.

Naomi Klein (www.nologo.org) is a Canadian author, journalist and activist, who is well-known for her book “No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies”. Klein opposes free market policies, claiming that privatisation and deregulation disadvantage the poor by pushing up the price of necessities, such as medicine, and pushing down the price of raw commodities.. Klein argues that free trade policies do not alleviate poverty or encourage economic development. According to Klein, capitalism is more concerned with profit maximisation than human dignity or environmental sustainability, and production occurs through the exploitation of labour and the environment.

Martin Khor (www.twnside.org.sg) is the Director of the Third World Network. He claims to be an advocate for developing countries’ interests, arguing that WTO policies are a threat to sustainable development. He views free trade as being detrimental to developing economies. Instead he promotes a protectionist development approach. Specifically, Khor argues that developing countries must establish certain conditions through protectionist policies, and then integrate trade liberalisation into an overall national development strategy. These conditions include a sufficient level of competitiveness by local businesses or farms, adequate export prices for developing countries, the capacity to overcome supply-side problems, and market access or export opportunities. In addition, Khor asserts that intellectual property rights are a form of protectionism that disadvantage developing countries. He argues that IPRs increase the price of items, such as medicine, impede the transfer of technology to developing countries, and result in biopiracy due to the patenting by foreign corporations of biological resources originating in developing countries. Khor believes that environmental sustainability is necessary for sustainable development, and that the implementation of WTO environmental (and labour) standards is a concern for developing countries’ interests.

Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and founder of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative (www.eginitiative.org) is a prominent human rights advocate. She contends that trade is the key to achieving development, but promotes a rights-based approach encompassing both social and economic factors. Robinson argues for more equitable trade, and opposes the use of agricultural subsidies by the European Union and United States of America. She further argues that greater market access and fair trade policies are imperative for poverty alleviation, and for the economic development of poor countries. She opposes the exploitation of worker’s rights and views the preservation of human rights as a necessary condition for sustainable development.

Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, activist, academic, editor and writer. She is on the Board of Directors for the International Forum on Globalization and directs the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology. She also founded Navdanya, a conservation movement in India (www.navdanya.org). Shiva opposes genetic engineering, intellectual property rights and the patenting of biological resources. She claims that the TRIPs agreement is part of a ‘centrally planned authoritarian rule’ and has resulted in a corporate take-over of vital resources. She also contends that the environment is under threat and criticises free trade for its destruction. Shiva promotes sustainable development, worker’s rights and environmental protection by advocating fair trade. Shiva asserts that IMF and World Bank structural adjustment programs are inflicting greater poverty on the poor, suggesting that free market policies inhibit development. Finally, she supports human rights, focusing particularly on the achievement of women’s rights.

John Ralston Saul (www.abc.net.au/specials/saul/default.htm) is a writer and philosopher. He opposes globalisation, claiming that it is anti-democratic, and criticises free markets. He believes that trade liberalisation is not essential or sufficient to create competition or innovation, and asserts that not all trade is good. He promotes protectionism and views trade dependency as being problematic and damaging to an economy. Saul advocates increased regulation and government intervention for the provision of public goods, and seeks a human, or ‘citizen-based’ approach to development, whereby economics is a secondary issue. Saul claims that such an approach is necessary for stable development, and therefore long term prosperity.

Joseph Stiglitz is an economist, academic and author. He is the founder and President of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (www0.gsb.columbia.edu/ipd/) and is also the former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank. Stiglitz urges developing countries to employ protectionist measures and allow government intervention in markets. Stiglitz views the current international trade regime as being anti-development and detrimental to developing countries’ interests. Furthermore, he argues that the TRIPs agreement is unbalanced, resulting in inefficiency and a monopoly on knowledge. Stiglitz argues that the current regime creates less incentive for innovation than a competitive marketplace would, and that intellectual property rights disadvantage developing countries. He criticises stronger intellectual property rights protection, and the TRIPs agreement as being anti-development.

Pro-Globalisation Groups

The International Policy Network (www.policynetwork.net) is a London-based, non-profit, non-governmental organisation that aims to eradicate poverty, improve public health and protect the environment. It promotes the role of market institutions to achieve these objectives. Specifically, IPN views free trade as the key to eliminating poverty and ensuring effective development. Through its ‘Global Freedom to Trade’ campaign, IPN advocates the elimination of all trade barriers. IPN argues that market instruments such as intellectual property rights are necessary to protect the environment and promote development. IPN also facilitates the Sustainable Development Network (www.sdnetwork.net). SDN is a grouping of individuals and non-governmental organisations that work to advance an institutional approach to poverty alleviation, through the implementation of property rights, contracts, the rule of law, open markets and free trade, and accountable, transparent government. It advocates free trade as the key to reducing environmental problems, emphasising that trade promotes the efficient use of natural resources, that rising incomes lead to changes in people’s priorities and therefore greater environmental awareness and protection, ‘resource-saving’ technologies reduce environmental pressure, and financial, legal and physical infrastructure also encourage the efficient use of natural resources. SDN furthers the case for free trade and intellectual property rights as a means of encouraging effective development.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (www.cei.org) is a Washington-based, non-profit, public policy organisation that promotes free markets and limited government intervention. CEI advocates a free market approach to development, trade, labour and the environment. It promotes free trade as the key to enhancing economic prosperity and development and improving the environment. CEI further emphasises that property rights are necessary to enhance prosperity and protect the environment, and that such institutions are more effective than political agencies and bureaucracies. On labour, CEI promotes deregulated markets, arguing that workers and employers can negotiate more effectively without government intervention, and that unions are unaccountable.

The Cato Institute (www.cato.org) is a Washington-based, non-profit, public policy research organisation that supports a free market approach to development. It is based on a libertarian tradition of minimal government intervention in business and private individuals’ lives. The Cato Institute argues that free trade, property rights and the rule of law are imperative for successful economic development and environmental sustainability, and views government intervention as an obstacle to such development. It views globalisation as a positive force that has encouraged the dissemination of market institutions and therefore peace and prosperity.

The Institute of Public Affairs (www.ipa.org.au) is an Australian-based, non-profit, public policy think tank, promoting liberal-market policies. It advocates minimal government intervention in the economy and advances competition and the rule of law as essential elements for economic prosperity. The IPA supports free trade, the implementation of intellectual property rights, and a deregulated labour market. On the environment, it promotes a scientific, evidence-based approach, and believes that many of the claims made by environmentalists are not based on scientific evidence. The IPA maintains a risk management perspective on environmental sustainability whereby environmental protection and economic prosperity can coexist. As well as economic freedom, the IPA also supports political freedom and representative democracy.

The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (www.aei.org) is a Washington-based, non-profit, think tank that promotes private enterprise and limited government intervention. The institute advocates the implementation of intellectual property rights, arguing that they are essential for economic stability and prosperity, particularly for developing countries. AEI also supports free trade, indicating that it is necessary for poverty reduction and development.

TCS Daily (www.tcsdaily.com) is a pro-free market organisation advocating free trade and technological innovation as key elements for development, prosperity and the elimination of environmental degradation. It argues that intellectual property rights are essential for successful free market policies and therefore development and prosperity. It also highlights the positive impact that free market policies and globalisation have on labour; namely higher wages, better working conditions and therefore greater prosperity.

World Growth (www.worldgrowth.org) is a non-profit organisation, promoting a free market approach to development. It advocates free trade and market-oriented solutions for sustainable development, the attainment of human rights and worker’s rights and environmental protection. World Growth argues that free trade improves human rights, labour standards and protection of the environment. Furthermore, it contends that imposing labour and environmental standards through trade restrictions would be counterproductive to such improvements World Growth supports the implementation of intellectual property rights to achieve public health outcomes and effective development.

The Heritage Foundation (www.heritage.org) is a Washington-based research think tank which develops and promotes public policies on the basis of free markets and limited government intervention. It promotes trade liberalisation as the key to poverty alleviation, prosperity and development, and criticises fair trade, environmental protection and labour standards as mere protectionism that benefits some at the expense of others. The Heritage Foundation argues in favour of free labour markets, claiming that they maximise productivity and employment opportunities, therefore promoting development. Heritage also promotes technological innovation and market-based solutions to protect the environment.

AWorldConnected (www.aworldconnected.org) is a non-profit organisation advocating free market policies for economic growth and development. It promotes free trade, arguing that protectionist policies such as trade barriers decrease the economic welfare of developing countries. AWorldConnected argues that greater economic freedom corresponds with greater human freedoms, and therefore improved human rights. Such improvements are seen to be achieved through free market policies and limited government. AWorldConnected supports the view that globalisation and increased prosperity can reduce environmental degradation. According to AWorldConnected, the key to achieving this is the implementation of property rights. Finally, it argues that sweatshops provide much needed employment for poor people and that free labour flows enhance development and prosperity.

Pro-Globalisation Individuals

Johan Norberg (www.johannorberg.net) is a Swedish writer and editor. He is the head of political ideas at Timbro, a free market think tank in Sweden, and the founder and editor of the free trade portal frihandle.nu. Norberg is pro-globalisation and pro-capitalism. He supports free market policies for the achievement of economic development and greater human freedoms. Thus, he advocates free trade, competition and minimal government intervention in markets. Norberg argues that multinational corporations improve working conditions and increase the wages of workers in developing economies relative to the conditions provided by domestic corporations. He opposes labour and environmental standards, arguing that they disadvantage developing countries and impede their participation in the global economy. Norberg also highlights that the worst environmental conditions exist in countries that are the least capitalist and least globalised. In fact he promotes growth and development as the key to reducing the exploitation of worker’s rights and the environment. Norberg argues that globalisation is the key to economic and social prosperity citing that the economies with the deepest penetration of capitalism and globalisation are the most successful. Norberg also argues that the unequal distribution of capitalism is responsible for poverty, not the unequal distribution of wealth. Norberg supports market instruments, including intellectual property rights.

Douglas A. Irwin (www.dartmouth.edu/~dirwin/) is an academic, writer, editor and research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Irwin advocates free trade and open markets as the key to economic growth and development. He promotes the outsourcing of labour by the United States of America. Irwin highlights the extent of environmental degradation caused by state-run economies and government intervention in markets, arguing that the free market approach, and implementation of property rights, increases wealth and development therefore reducing environmental degradation. He also asserts that environmental degradation is caused by poor environmental policies, not poor trade policies.

Jagdish Bhagwati (www.columbia.edu/~jb38/) is an academic and writer at Columbia University, New York. He is currently senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Group on the NEPAD process in Africa. He has also served as an economic policy adviser to the Director General of the GATT, a special adviser to the UN on Globalisation, and an external adviser to the Director-General of the WTO. Bhagwati is a proponent of free trade and free market policies. He argues that economic globalisation is the key to reducing poverty and promoting development, as economic growth increases income thus reducing poverty. He further argues that globalisation improves human rights, by reducing child labour and gender inequality, and reduces environmental degradation. Bhagwati criticises the imposition of labour standards, arguing that linking trade and labour is inefficient and damaging to poor countries’ interests. He also opposes bilateralism in trade, supporting a multilateral approach through the WTO. Finally, Bhagwati disagrees with the implementation of strong intellectual property rights in developing countries, arguing that this is not a ‘trade’ issue.

Martin Wolf (www.nottingham.ac.uk/economics/staff/details/martin_wolf.htm) is an academic, journalist, and the associate editor and chief economics commentator of the Financial Times. He was previously a senior economist at the World Bank. Wolf criticises the centralised, state-run economy as being flawed and incapable of providing public goods, protecting property and meeting the material needs of people. He promotes a free market approach complimented with minimal, but effective, government intervention. According to Wolf, this is the only approach that can provide sustainable development, prosperity and human freedoms. Wolf further opposes WTO-enforced environmental and labour standards, and the TRIPs agreement. He questions whether developing countries will gain more than they lose from the implementation of TRIPs.

Philippe Legrain (www.philippelegrain.com) is an economist, journalist and writer. He previously served as special advisor to the Director-General of the WTO, was the chief economist for Britain in Europe, and was the trade and economics correspondent for The Economist. Legrain is pro-markets. He asserts that free trade is the key to economic growth and therefore development and prosperity. Legrain argues that intellectual property rights are ‘self-serving’ for the rich and detrimental to the interests of the poor. He proposes that the TRIPs agreement impedes development, and that patent protection should be lower in poor countries. Legrain also argues that globalisation is a largely positive force that improves environmental and labour standards; as countries develop, incomes rise and people can afford better standards.

Mike Moore (www.mike-moore.info) is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Director-General of the WTO. He is also a writer and regular columnist for the Australian Financial Review. Moore supports free trade, claiming that it is essential for development. He also opposes any linkage between labour standards and trade. Moore argues that trade liberalisation generates economic growth, employment and increased prosperity. The spillover effect of improved living standards, he asserts, is greater freedoms, increased rights and working conditions for workers, and the elimination of environmental degradation. Finally, while acknowledging that the TRIPs agreement requires improvements, Moore argues that TRIPs is carefully balanced to encourage technological innovation, through adequate intellectual property protection, while ensuring that the poor have access to essential medicines.

Additional ‘Key Players’ to consider:

Dani Rodrik
Via Campesina
GRAIN
Noam Chomsky
Peoples’ Global Action
Aziz Choudry
Global Exchange
ActionAid
World Vision
Via Campesina
C. Fred Bergsten
CARE
WTO
IMF
World Bank
OECD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
World Economic Forum
Institute of Economic Affairs
International Chamber of Commerce
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Australian Chamber of Commerce
Inter Region Economic Network
Africa Fighting Malaria
Liberty Institute
International Telecommunications Union
Council for Canadians
Sierra Club
David Suzuki
The South Centre
Group of 77
Corporate Watch
Global Policy Forum
People’s Global Action
Ruckus
Global Solidarity Dialogue
The Nation magazine
Mother Jones magazine
American Textile Manufacturers’ Institute
Australian Council of Trade Unions
AFL-CIO
Mohammed Mahathir
Malcolm Bull
Beatrice Pouligny
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
David Henderson
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)