Unfortunately, you have it the wrong way round.
"Fair trade" means that someone meddles with trade to provide benefits for someone at the expense of the traders.
"Free trade" means that no-one meddles with the exchanges between people. They may exchange, cooperate, interact without interference.
This has been called an "ideal" somewhat derisively by some people, but perhaps they have lost their own ideals and so are condemned to spin their wheels.
The advantage of clinging tight to an ideal is that you know which way you want to head. You may never achieve the ideal - but you'll always be heading toward it.
Back in the days of British free trade the conservatives were not protectionists. They were "Tariff Reformers" just as the protectionists now are "fair traders."
Whatever they call themselves, their intention is to reduce competition, raise prices to the consumer, and enjoy an unearned profit. That is, ironically - "fair trade".
Harry
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eric wrote:
It would be hard to argue that the phrase 'fair trade' is more likely to invoke FAIR trade amongst people and that 'free trade' - because of the lack of a consensus on what FREE means - keeps the door open for the GUY WITH THE MOST MAKES THE RULES.
It is THIS phenomenon we must all address, of all classes. Of course, such contemplations can lead to unwanted truths.
I am most interested in any comments.
----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Mike Spencer)
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 00:36:07 -0400
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Non-price competition
Non-price competition? Here's another take on it.
...in a free market - and by free here I mean the ideal forms of
capitalism propounded in the Wealth of Nations, the lowest
cost-provider wins. Now as it turns out this type of capitalism is
not what we see in the software industry. And in the long term
those with the current monopoly cannot compete with Free Software
on price or quality. So the monopolist must resort to other means
- it must prevent the market from being free, because a free
market means it loses its vast and expanding powers.
-- Andreas Pour
The interview is here:
http://www.ofb.biz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=158
(This is not a technical piece, but for those completely unacquainted
with Linux, KDE is an (optional) bunch of software that provides a GUI
-- buttons, popup menus, dialog boxes etc. -- for computers using the
GNU/Linux operating system. Like GNU-ware and Linux, it is freeware.)
- Mike
****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
