Y376 International Political Economy

1. Y376 International Political Economy March 26, 2012

2. Anti-Globalization Movements • “…generally advocate anarchist, socialist, social democratic or eco-socialist alternatives to neo-liberal economics” (Wikipedia) • Coalition of disparate groups and organizations, including: • Organized labor • Environmental groups • Feminists • Indigenous peoples • Others (including anarchists)

3. Why Does Organized Labor Oppose Globalization? • Fear that competition with workers of low-wage countries, especially those without the right to organize, will reduce wages and employment levels • Do not believe claims that globalization produces growth and jobs • New jobs often in areas that are not unionized • Large unions like AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers, Teamsters, etc., supported free trade after WW2 but changed their position in the 1970s

4. Environmental Groups • Friends of the Earth • Greenpeace • Green Party

5. Why Do Some Environmental Groups Oppose Globalization? • Concern about the impact of WTO and other regimes on the environment • Shrimp-Turtle • Dolphin-Tuna • International Whaling Commission • Broader concern about the lack of correct pricing of products and services that have a negative impact on the environment • Environmental dumping: e.g. toxic wastes

6. Feminist Groups • The World March of Women • National Action Committee on the Status of Women

7. Why Do Feminists Oppose Globalization? • Neo-liberal corporatist globalization, in their view, supports patriarchal politics • Want to prevent imposition of anti-abortion policies by the United States directly and via international regimes • Want to raise the status of women globally and do not see this happening under the current system

8. Indigenous Groups • Amazon Watch • Chevron Toxico • International Indigenous Youth Conference • Video in Spanish on this topic

9. Why Do Indigenous Groups Oppose Globalization? • Worried about the ill effects of globalization on indigenous peoples • Concerned about the stealing of resources, e.g., in the Rain Forest by bio-prospectors or by oil companies • Want to get more say internationally and need to bypass national governments to do this (therefore support the multi-stakeholder approach)

10. Colorful Blocs within the Anarchist Cluster • Black Bloc • Green Bloc • Pink Bloc • Lilac Bloc • Pink/Silver Bloc • http://anarchogeek.com/

11. Big Anti-Globalization Demonstrations • G8 Summit in Cologne in 1999 • Battle of Seattle at WTO Ministerial Meeting in 1999 • IMF/World Bank Meeting in Washington 2000 • G8 Summit in Genoa in 2001 • World Economic Summit Meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2003 • WTO Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico, 2003 • G8 Meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland, 2005 • G8 Meeting in Heilegendam, Germany, 2007

12. Copenhagen Conference, 2009 • Naomi Klein on climate change • Protest video (Black Bloc) • Hindi coverage of demonstrations

13. Groups That Demonstrate at Multiple Sites • Friends of the Earth • Jubilee 2000 • Global Justice Movement • ATTAC Casino financier video

14. ATTAC Cartoon