Is the world trade system rigged against the poor? Is the world trade system rigged against the poor

Let me start by thanking the representatives of the WTO and Ambassadors from Jamaica, Pakistan, the European Union, and Australia for this opportunity to discuss the issues raised by Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign, and the report - Rigged Rules and Double Standards - that sets out our analysis. Perhaps the title gives away our position on the question raised by this seminar: namely, is world trade rigged against the poor. But we welcome this opportunity to exchange views with you. Perhaps I could start with a short anecdote. As part of the research for our report we interviewed over two hundred people in developing countries, many of them small farmers and workers directly affected by trade. One of them, a young Thai woman, responded to a question about what the WTO does in the following terms: 'The WTO is there to help the big fish eat the little fish. That is what happens in international trade.' Her comments were not untypical. In fact, they were among the more polite variations on the theme. They reflect a deep and widespread current of opinion that sees the multilateral trading system as a regime debased by the imposition of big power interests, and corrupted by undue influence on the part of transnational companies. More polite and more technical formulations than those offered by our Thai interviewee could be found. And of course the WTO cannot be viewed in isolation. But there is a widespread and, in our view, legitimate view, that the rules of the game in world trade magnify instead of diminish disadvantage. And there is an equally widespread view that global institutions are failing the poor. In the brief period since we launched our report, it has been denounced by some as 'anti-trade and anti-market', and by others as a 'neo-liberal' apology for current World Bank, IMF and WTO practices. So let me begin by setting the record straight.download