>The discussion is for everyone.
>If you guys want to
>take it to e-mail we
>can. So don't single
>me out as if you're
>only talking to me.

Wasn't my intention, but I did reply to YOUR post, okay ?

>Yes it's a bad situation, but
>you are making it sound
>as if the citizens in
>this area are completely powerless
>and have no choice.
>As if they were slaves.
> But recent history has
>shown us that this is
>not the case.

Please elaborate.
I don't know what you mean by 'completely powerless'.

In a certain sense I could say the same thing about the slavery in the US, where slaves weren't completely 'powerless' either, only 'detail' being that expressing or using their power automatically resulted in death or lifelong consequences at best.

When there is a lack of viable alternatives (other ways to provide your family with an income that suffices to survive) people are in a certain way forced to do certain things. So YES, choice is indeed very limited. From 'a little slavery' to 'very slavery'.

>>Your references to 'us' (read Western
>>organisations) not having the authority/right
>>to 'impose' our human right
>>standards on people there, makes
>>no sense, since all Western
>>companies have been doing the
>>last 20-30 years (and way
>>longer) is impose a 'foreign'
>>economical system
>
>When did capitalism become a foreign
>way to do business?
>And what is wrong with other
>countries following that model if
>it is a Western Idea?

Come on.
'following' that model ? That's like rewriting history.

Like all African colonized countries spontaneously chose to organize their economy by 'following' the capitalist model ...

Like they didn't have their own ways of trading, selling, ...
Like they didn't have their own agriculture ...

If they had chosen the capitalist route, they wouldn't be as poor today, with the resources they have. The Congolese rubber was stolen by my government about 160 years ago, same thing continues today with diamonds from Shaba, all concessions are controlled by either American or Belgian companies.

>We aren't forcing anything on them.
>They want to be
>like us. Tell me
>I'm wrong.

First, we tell the whole world how good life is in Western society.
Then, we're surprised people want to migrate to Western countries, and we do everything to stop them from coming (by treating 'm like shit, locking 'm up in camps, ...)

Propaganda's a bitch. Ask people in ex-East Germany how they feel about our great economical and social system.

>>with
>>no respect for the local
>>culture whatsoever.
>
>So Nike makes the watch Melrose,
>eat Pizza, and speak in
>English?

I never said that.

American soaps are so successfull cos they're so cheap (does mass production ring a bell ?). That's all it is, not cos American morals or culture would be better. But most of the US entertainment IS propaganda for US entertainment.

American cultural imperialism is rampant. And as a reaction people react to that over here.

People speak English cos of imperialistic & colonial (you'd probably call this 'historical') reasons and cos it's an easy language to learn.

However, I think more people speak Spanish and Chinese right now, so your statement is incorrect.

>No, the exact opposite.
>I believe that we in
>the West shouldn't be trying
>to influence a person's goverment
>or culture and replace them
>with our own values.

That is exactly what's happening though.
Have you ever been outside North America, and if you did, did you go outside American hotels ?

>I didn't agree with the
>gulf slaughter, nor trying to
>quell the violence in Somalia
>for oil. But I
>also don't believe in telling
>another sovereign nation how they
>should allocate their priorities.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the exact US interpretation of 'free trade'.

>I don't think the anti-sweatshop arguments
>have been persuasive on either
>a moral or practical grounds.
>You mean to bring
>the entire world labor force
>to an arbitrary minimum standard
>that not every economy can
>sustain.

Nope, maybe other people do but I don't. At least not in absolute terms. However, I do in relative terms.

And I DO believe that people shouldn't have an armed person at the job to prevent 'm from going to the toilet. However, it probably wouldn't be the best idea to tell the guy ... Understand what I'm trying to say ?

>it's who has the power
>to set the agenda.

Then I don't see your problem with people resisting sweatshop tactics ... I'm just using my power as a consumer.



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